There will be two games running during July:
Game A: Percy Jackson Hosted by isaacthefan and German_Shepherd_Dog
Game B: BINGO! Hosted by oomps62 and Penultima
You will be elderly.
Your knees will know the second it thinks of raining.
Both of your hips have been replaced and even your artificial hips need new hips.
You're no spring chicken. Maybe an autumn turkey.
You’re happily retired, and with your fully raised kids raising your grandkids, there isn’t much left for you in the house you raised your family. It would be so much better to still have your own private place, but within a larger community filled with other seniors!
Fairview Senior Center is the place for you. A place to make new friends and live a carefree lifestyle. Just see some excerpts from the brochure!

• Enjoy easily navigable paths surrounded by a variety of horticultural features. Sit down on one of the many benches when you need a moment’s rest! Our parks are perfectly maintained by our groundskeeping crew, but if you have an interest in gardening, you can apply for your own raised bed plot to tend to yourself!
• Choose to have meals and snacks in one of our many food options: Fairview Fountain Cafe and Bistro, Garden View Dining Lounge, or make your favorite homemade meals in the Fairview Family Style Kitchen
• Enjoy luxurious personal apartments. Inquire about customization options prior to moving in. Apartments may be furnished, or you can bring your favorite furniture from home. After all, with Fairview Senior Center being your new home, you should be comfortable!
• Join us for our many social gatherings. We keep a full schedule of daily activities from guided exercises to keep you spry, sing-alongs, films at our theater, featuring both classics and new releases, music classes, aquatic aerobics, dance classes in both line and ballroom styles, and competitions on our shaded shuffleboard courts, designed to keep you protected from the sun and rain while still getting fresh air.
• Dive in to new adventures in our library, well-stocked with new bestsellers and familiar classics.
• At the end of the day (6 pm sharp) join us in our Bingo Hall for exciting, competitive (yet friendly) BINGO! and win one of the many fabulous prizes raffled off each night.

Fairview Senior Center- Beginning a new chapter of our lives, together.

Unfortunately, we all eventually come to the point in our lives when we need a little more help and full time care. If you’re a fall risk, for example, and need to be transitioned to life in a wheelchair at a place with full time caregivers. When that time comes, Sundown Estates Nursing Home is there. You can refer to their informational packet, with some excerpts below:

• Expansive soothing gardens to get the true nature experience!
  
• Hang out and play some cards in our spacious community lounges!
  
• Enjoy a meal (up to three daily) at our nutritious cafeteria that provides at least one menu option for every meal time!
  
• Want a taste of home? We provide comfortable family meetings designed to keep you safe.
  
• Our rooms are fully equipped with all the amenities you’ve come to expect, including your own nightstand!
  

Sundown Estates- A safe place to put your family.

General Mechanics

There will be two teams the Seniors (town) vs Staff (wolves)

• The beloved seniors residing at Fairview Senior Center. Grandpas, abuelas, omas, and bubbes. They’re retired, their kids are long grown and now raising their own kids. They’re living out their golden years among their peers, participating in retirement activities, the most sacred of which is BINGO. Unfortunately, someone keeps stealing the BINGO prizes donated by the seniors’ families, and they are not happy about someone getting between them and their BINGO games. Every day they’ll vote to remove someone from Fairview Senior Center
• The staff at the Fairview Senior Center. The staff are greedy and stealing BINGO prizes from the seniors. Every night, the staff will deem someone as a “fall risk” and have them shipped out to Sundown Estates Nursing Home for being such a troublemaker.
• The Seniors win if they can eliminate all of the Staff
• The Staff win when they outnumber the remaining Seniors

Each phase, we will reveal:

• Who was the vote target, how many votes they received, and their affiliation
• Who was sent to Sundown Estates Nursing Home and their affiliation

Roles

Each role may exist 0 or more times.

Seniors

Name	Description
Bubbe Ruth	She’s got the greatest soups in the facility. Come over to the Fairview Family Style Kitchen where she’ll whip you up a soup that’ll cure any ailment you have! Every night she will choose a target and their target is protected from being sent off to Sundown Estates Nursing Home. Cannot target the same person more than 3 times per game.
Opa Benjamin	He doesn’t have much to say, but he’s very perceptive. He seems to know things that nobody else does. Every night he will choose a target and find out the target’s affiliation.
Grammy Beverly	Nobody owns the power of persuasion like her. Give her a minute and she can convince you to do just about anything. 3 times per game, she can submit a call for the next phase to have a double vote.
Papa Herman	Has he ever told you about his time in the Big One? Sit down, you’re going to be here all night listening to his war stories. Every night, he will choose a target and that target will be unable to complete their action. Does not affect items. Cannot select the same target more than 3 times per game.
Grandma Carolyn	She’s got friends everywhere and they keep her informed about goings-on all over town. 3 times per game, she can choose to see the role of a player at Sundown Estates Nursing Home.
Gramps George	He’s a bit of a troublemaker - he’s got a new prank to play just about every day. Every night he will choose two targets to swap. Actions done onto his first target will now be done onto his second target and vice versa. Cannot target any person (either as Target 1 or Target 2) two phases in a row.
Mawmaw Rosie	She loves her mystery stories, especially Agatha Christie and Murder, She Wrote. She loves to investigate any little mystery she can find. Every night, she will choose a target and they will find out who their target submitted an action for that night, if any.
Abuelo Manuel	That old back injury keeps him up at all hours of the night, so he may as well look out the window and see what’s going on all over Fairview Senior Center. 3 times per game, he can choose to spy on a player and see everybody who visited that player in the night.
Memere Rita	Any grandmother would do anything for her children and grandchildren. Memere Rita sees everyone as her family. Every night, she will choose a target. If her target was scheduled to be shipped off to Sundown Estates Nursing Home, she will be shipped off instead.
Mami Anna	An avid casino visitor and gambling fanatic, Mami Anna will use any tactic at her disposal to win at BINGO. 3 times per game, she can choose to target a player and have them sent to Sundown Estates Nursing Home.
Grandparents	Regardless of if they’re a Pawpaw, Nana, Opa, Mummo, Abuela, or Mami, you better be prepared to get off of their lawns. While they don’t have actions, they can vote every day and earn items.

Staff

Name	Description
Nurse	The one in charge of everybody’s medical records… whether or not they’re accurate, who knows? Every night, they will have a player classified as a “fall risk” and have them shipped off to Sundown Estates Nursing Home.
Groundskeeper	Someone’s gotta shovel the sidewalk and make sure that the paths around Fairview Senior Center are flat. Unfortunately, with this guy around, you’ll never find any evidence of crimes. Every night, they will be able to choose a player’s affiliation to obscure. Has 33% chance of failure. Cannot target the same player twice in a row.
Hall Monitor	Retirement doesn't sit well with him, he needs a job to feel a sense of purpose. Despite being a Senior, he's more than happy to work with the Staff. They will begin the game as a Grandparent on the side of the Seniors, but will join the Staff if they would have been sent to Sundown Estates.
Cafeteria Worker	An expert at making everybody’s favorite comfort foods, which results in their target entering a food coma and falling asleep early. Every night, they will choose a target and that target will be unable to complete their action. Does not affect items. Cannot select the same target more than 3 times during the game.
Office Manager	A master at forging paperwork. Every night, they will choose a player and that player will show up as Staff to investigators. Cannot select the same target twice in a row.
The Administrator	The Fairview Senior Center simply couldn’t function without them! They are immune to being sent to Sundown Estates Nursing Home as a result of night actions or items.
Game Room Manager	Absolutely loves BINGO and runs the show! How could anybody ever suspect them? They will show up as being on the side of the Seniors when investigated
Security Guard	Patrols around the senior center, doing “routine checks”. If he saw how rowdy the BINGO games got, he’d be sure to shut that down. Once per game, they will choose a player to visit and every visitor to that player gets sent off to Sundown Estates Nursing Home.
Volunteers	When it’s not your job on the line, it can be even more difficult to resist the temptation of lifting a few prizes. After all, there are so many! Who’s going to miss a couple? Although they have no special abilities, they work with the rest of the staff.

No matter who is banned from Fairview Senior Center, the staff will always have the ability to deem seniors as “fall risks”.

Bingo

Bingo Prizes (Items) will be earned by playing BINGO! Details of how BINGO is played will be outlined in the Phase 0 event, but in summary:

• During Phase 0 players will have a chance to submit things that would be on their werewolf BINGO board
• Each player will be assigned a unique BINGO board
• When players find things in the threads that meet their BINGO criteria, they can call BINGO and submit their card to win an item
• You can only have one item at a time. If you currently hold an unused item, you will not be eligible to win a new one until it is used.

Item	Actions
Local Coupon Book	Causes the full voting results from the phase it is used to be posted.
Manicures for Two	Learn the name of one other player who shares your affiliation.
Deck of Cards	Causes your vote to be counted triple for the current phase.
Fresh Garden Produce Basket	Choose a person and see everyone who voted for them in that day’s vote.
Hand-knit Hat and Scarf	Choose a target and learn who they submitted an action on that phase.
Scrabble	Choose a target and prevent them from voting AND completing their night action.
Wine and Cheese Basket	Choose a target and redirect their action onto another player of your choice.
Weekend Getaway Stay at a local hotel	Choose a target. If they’re on the opposite side as you, they’re sent to Sundown Estates. If they’re on your side, you’re sent to Sundown Estates.
Massage Gift Certificate	Choose a target. Nobody can visit them that night.
Lotion Gift Set	Choose another player and render them invisible to any investigation that phase.
The Game of Life	Choose a target and see which role visited them that phase.
Fresh Bread Assortment	Choose another player. Anybody who visited them will now visit you. Anybody who visited you will now visit them.
Coffee and tea variety sampler	Choose someone and if they submitted an action, guarantee that it succeeds even when it wouldn't have otherwise.
Box of Chocolates	Choose to use your action and anybody who commented “first” will have their action fail for the next 3 nights.
Crocheted Doily	Find out any players who visited you the night you use this action.
MP3 Player	Prevent a player’s affiliation from appearing in the post when they’re sent to Sundown Estates.
Homemade Soup	Protect a target from removal from the house (vote or night action) for that phase.
Floral Arrangement	Remove 3 votes from your target.
Werther’s Originals	Send your target to Sundown Estates.
Beaded Necklace and Bracelet	Replicate the action of your first target onto your second target.
Cozy Wool Socks	Privately reveals role on death to your target.
Wind Chimes	Shows full vote tally from any previous phase
Leather Bound Journal	Allows player to send a message upon their death to another player. This message may not exceed 150 characters, including punctuation. This item must be submitted at any point before the end of phase before that player’s death, and may not be changed after submitting.
Grand Canyon Puzzle	Target someone in the current phase to publicly reveal their vote

Rules and Additional Information

Activity

If you fail to vote or submit a night action for 3 days total, you will be removed from the game.

Alt Accounts

We will not be allowing secret alt accounts for this game. Alt accounts which are publicly known are fine.

Editing Comments

If you are editing comments, it should be made clear why you’re editing. If you made an error, use strikethroughs on the information you want removed, but don’t delete it. If you want to add something, put it at the end what you’re adding. Do not share information, then immediately edit your comment to hide what you said from others.
Do not delete comments

Codes and Keys

Comments in this game should be in English and free of encryption. We ask that players do not try to find workarounds to this. Previous Removals
If you have been removed from 2 games in the past 12 months for inactivity or rule violations, you may not sign up for this game.

Discontinuation of the word “lynch” in HogwartsWerewolves Games

You may have seen the post “Hogwarts Werewolves and Social Justice” come up in the last week. If you haven’t read it already, we highly encourage you to read and discuss it with the rest of the community.

In short, as a mod team community, we believe that we should no longer use the term “lynch” in light-hearted fashion. As a Mafia-based community, many of our games revolve around phases often framed as “night kills” and “day lynches.” The word “lynch” has a long legacy of anti-Blackness and murder of Black people, Indigenous people, and members of other marginalized groups, and we feel that time is well overdue to examine what it means to continue using it as a descriptor of gameplay. While “lynch” is established Mafia terminology, it is also a word that is painful for many people to hear. We should not justify continuing to use it because it is still used commonly elsewhere. It is inappropriate and cruel to make a game out of generational trauma.

Again, we encourage the community to read the entirety of the post (linked above), as it provides further context for this decision, as well as discussion of alternative terms that can be used. We understand that this is a significant change in the way that we talk about our games, and mistakes will happen. We are not out to punish you if you forget to use an alternative word and we will apologize if we do. We are all working to be better people, but we’re all human and we need to be kind to each other while we all work towards removing lynch from our game vernacular.

Signups and Timeline

Signup using THIS LINK. Signups close at 10pm EST on Tuesday June 30. Role PMs will be sent out shortly after.
Phase 0 will start when role assignments go out (which will be shortly after the sign-up deadline. Phase 0 will last for approximately 2 days, though the confirmation period will be limited to the first 24 hours of that time.
Phase 0 will end at 10 pm (Eastern) on Thursday, July 2nd, and Phase 1 will begin shortly after.

Edits

• Limitations on use for roles added to their descriptions

Finally, some info!
I'll divide this into details from the trailer and details from the site (there's a lot of the latter), with a few bits of speculation thrown in (I'll make it clear which details are confirmed and which are just mine though):
The trailer (in roughly the order of appearance):

• It starts with the Goro tries to kill Joker scene, but Joker has a flashback/ vision partway through to a frozen in time street, where he hears a girl's voice through a static television (the new girl, Kasumi's)? This could just be a clever edit for the sake of the trailer, but I think there will be a new ending and this will play into it (more on that later).
  • Edit 5: According to u/Monsieur_Valjean, her dialogue is "私が夢を奪ったんです" (Watashi ga yume wo ubattan desu), which translates to either:
    • (If spoken informally:) I stole/took away my dream.
    • (If spoken informally:) I took away your dream.
    • Edit 7: The trailer has been translated and the translation used is "I took away all their dreams." (*5)
  • The latter could either be benevolent (since she pulled Joker away from his confrontation with Akechi), or something more sinister. (*3)
• Joker's grappling hook from Smash is now in the game (or rather, it made an early appearance in Smash) and has changed the Palaces to suit it. For example there's now a new puzzle involving kicking a giant Kamoshida statue in the mouth to open a door (perhaps the statue and door in the gym?) Okumura's Palace also has a point where you use the hook on a moving platform to reach a new area.
  • Incidentally, this probably means the rope you use to get into Madarame's Palace will be replaced with said grappling hook, or maybe entering his Palace will be changed entirely?
  • Edit 5: Many of you have pointed out that Joker always had the grappling hook, but he only used it in menu transitions. Thank you, all!
  • Edit 19: Assuming this trailer is also for newcomers to P5, showing off the first dungeon in the game makes sense - there's not much to spoil, but why Okumura's Palace - and why just a single scene? Note that the scene shows Joker being carried somewhere by a small platform through space. Is this a sign that the infamous airlock puzzle has been cut, with the team using grappling hooks to traverse those areas instead?
• Edit 12: There's a cutscene with Joker seeing Kasumi outside and the two greeting each other. I didn't think it was worth mentioning before, but this does confirm that the two have some rapport before she's roped into the Phantom Thieves business/ when they're away from the other Thieves. But Morgana's poking out of Joker's bag when he smiles at her and makes no effort to hide himself - does this mean she already knows about him (and thus the Metaverse and Joker's double life)? Or does she simply think Joker smuggles his cat to school? At least she doesn't consider him a threat like everyone else!
  • This could either be because he helped her out (more on this soon) or because she simply doesn't believe/ care about the rumours surrounding him (like Shiho)...but maybe it's because she knows more about his situation (and Shido and/ or his Metaverse dealings) than she lets on?
• There is a new location in the game (more on this later), home to a variety of hangout locations including a darts board and aquarium.
  • Edit 15: Thanks to MysticDistance, we see that the train transition now includes a backdrop of Shibuya through the train's windows! What an awesome little detail to add!
• There's now a counsellor working at the school, though there's more info on him on the site so I'll address him there.
• Edit 13: We see a silhouette on the TV screen from the start of the trailer, and Joker seems to recognise it. While it's of course hard to judge the identity of a silhouette, it does have a slim figure and a rounded head, much like the hair of our new Thief...
  • Edit 17: Here's a better shot at the figure. While Kasumi's uniform gives her the appearance of having broad shoulders, the silhouette doesn't look too much like her. While there's still a chance it is her, here's my speculation from that post:

Those shoulders look too broad to be Kasumi's (and doesn't seem to have long hair or a ponytail), but they have hair so can't be Shido. But those are definitely seams on the edges of the shoulders...it's Takuto, isn't it?
Maybe Kasumi talks first and Takuto hijacks the message and/ or kidnaps or attacks her while she's delivering it? Maybe they're the same person under different personas personalities? Atlus has done weirder stuff!

• Futaba has an AOA now!
  • Edit 11: If you look closely, she's thrown out of the bomb when it goes off, heading towards the right side of the screen (where the Phantom Thieves always pose at the end of their respective AOAs). She can't catch a break!
• Unison Attacks from P4G make a return! Think of these as mini-AOAs featuring pairs of Phantom Thieves. The examples in this trailer are Haru/ Morgana and Ryuji/ Makoto.
• New story events! There appears to be a sports-day event that Makoto is overseeing. Joker also steps in to save Kasumi from a creep - presumably on his way back from the aforementioned event since he's still in his sports clothes.
  • Edit 18: There's a new option in cutscenes like this. While "Skip" is still mapped to Options, Square is now "Auto-Advance" and the Log has been moved to L3. This'll be really useful for those cutscenes that auto-advanced by default despite being unvoiced in the core game, those always bugged me (especially since you couldn't predict when they'd occur so going to the menu between cutscenes was always a waste of time).
• We see Kasumi in the Metaverse, followed by more scenes of the new location, Kichijoji, where we can hang out with the full PT group at once instead of hanging out one at a time (at least in the darts/ pool area). Kasumi isn't here though, which suggests she joins the group last (or that she is simply unavailable at this point of the story).
  • Edit 16: Note that Makoto has just thrown a dart right before we see Joker do the same. Is this part of a cutscene (story or otherwise) or does this mean we'll get to compete here against the other Thieves; maybe even as sub-teams?
• We see Kasumi in action, scoring a Critical Hit to boot! She wields a rapier and...I can't tell if it's a pistol or a sawn-off shotgun, but I can tell that it is fan-cy!
  • Edit 2: Thank you, u/Enzo-Unversed for pointing out that Kasumi isn't using a rapier. I did some further research and it looks like she uses an estoc, which is a narrow blade used for thrusting as she does in the trailer. The example on Wikipedia has a curved hilt while Kasumi's has a straight hilt, but I don't know if that means anything for estoc-kind.
  • Edit 2: u/AvatarWanderful identifies her gun as a lever-action rifle. I initially thought it was a hunting rifle before seeing its length, but that fits the description! And I still think the engraving is really neat!
• We get some scenes of the Thieves in a new crumbling place in the Metaverse, interrupted by a scene of Kasumi dancing in front of a crowd hard enough to work up a sweat (more on this later)*, ending with Joker falling off of whatever he's holding on into what appears to be a floating staircase. This looks an awful lot like the stairs in the background of the Velvet Room in PQ to me and, coupled with the blue hue to everything, makes me think the new Palace will be related to the ol' VR in some way. Maybe we change Igo Yaldabaoth's heart directly?
  • * Edit 18: Could this be how we first see Kasumi? It uses a lot of dynamic camera angles and plays up the mystery of who she is, so perhaps this is her first appearance and we later meet her "for real" after the sports day incident mentioned above. Also, if she's already showing her skills and drawing a crowd, does this mean Kamoshida has his sights set on her this time around? We know how he gets when someone threatens his volleyball team, and he's no stranger to blackmailing female students. He may still be messing with Ann, but why not Kasumi as well? What's an extra year in difference to him?
• Edit 7: The start of the above scene features a shot of Haru inside Morgana. More importantly though, is the bottom right of the image. You may have assumed it was Makoto driving, but her arms don't have stripes like that! Thank you, u/quitethewaysaway, for pointing out that Goro is still with the party at this point in his Loki attire!
  • Edit 20: A small detail, but this may mean we can buy equipment for Goro now, as well as access The Hero with a Bow, the book on Robin Hood we would have gotten from the library when he joined but was removed from the final release. This is in addition to Kasumi's equipment and book of course, unless she's the one to miss out this time. Which would be suspicious now that we know why Goro didn't get a book or weapons! (Also, it'll be interesting to see how their weapons are categorised, since both use swords.)
• Edit 16: As many have noted the trailer bares a striking resemblance to Into The Spider-Verse's intro, with the various logos and box art "glitching" into alternate versions as they appear - could this be another hint that the characters enter into separate "dream" worlds at some point in the game? Maybe even multiple times?

Edit 8: I wrote another post analysing the English fan-translation of the trailer, including some further speculation about Gnostic influences. Please check it out too if you have the time!
The website:
There's a ton of stuff here, as I said before!

• Edit 5: Again from u/Monsieur_Valjean, the text below the shot of Joker at the top of the page ends with "arata na kyoteki," meaning "new powerful/ultimate/grand enemy," which again hints at a new villain and thus new Palace to beat.

From the opening "reel" of screenshots:

• The box art: Goro looks much more sinister here than he did on the base cover, which makes me wonder if his betrayal is more...upfront this time around.
• There's an event with Ren, Kasumi and Goro at a french cafe. This could be part of one or both of their Confidants, which makes me wonder when this happens - after all, Goro's only part of the team for a month and this makes you wonder when Kasumi joins. (*1)
  • Edit 15: Thanks to a translation by MysticDistance, we know that Akechi's line is "Say, Kasumi-san, what's your opinion on things regarding the Phantom Thieves?" Isn't this exactly what he asked her in the teaser trailer?
  • Edit 18: Given what happens later on, this question couldn't work in the later stages of the game due to how the story progresses (and would be utterly impossible due to Goro's situation near the end, whether he survives this time around or not). And because Kasumi's answer was important enough to be the basis of the teaser and seems important to her character, I don't think it's something wed be able to miss. In other words, I believe this to be a fixed event in the story. (It may also confirm that she isn't a founding member of the Thieves, though she may also be lying to throw Akechi off...in which case it'd be interesting if she's telling the truth about her lack of faith in the Thieves while being one herself, especially with her leader and possible love interest right beside her!)
• Kamoshida in boss form now has Mishima as a lackey instead of the masked students he had before.
  • Edit 15: Thanks to the same tweet as above, we know Kamoshida is saying "You're too slow, Mishima! You simpleminded fool!" Which seems to confirm Mishima is his new lackey in this boss and that he'll speak directly to his minions. Also note the "warped" text box: does this change affect all Shadows, Bosses or just in-combat dialogue? And if the latter, will there also be UI changes for when your own allies comment on the battle or when you issue commands?
• Another image confirms that there is a sporting event at Inokashira Park where Joker hands something back to Kasumi. (Possibly something she dropped while being harrassed?)
  • Edit 6: u/FrozenKlondyke suggests this could be her student ID and that this is when she and Joker first meet (properly, at least) since she's introducing herself as a first-year here (you can see the 1 in her speech bubble too).
  • Edit 15: As pointed out in this tweet chain, it's a nice bit of characterisation that Joker is still willing to help out a girl being harassed despite what happened the last time he tried. D'aww...
• There's a cutscene featuring the girls in kimonos, but more on that later (also, it seems there are a LOT of new cutscenes in Royal!) The next image is very suspicious as it features Futaba sitting with someone who looks very like her mother. Even Joker - in a new winter outfit (again, more on that later) - is confused! Maybe Wakaba is only in a coma or something this time around? Could this be tied to Futaba & Sojiro's Confidants a la Chidori in P3? Or a "true" ending?

Section 1: Kasumi Yoshizawa and Takuto Maruki:

• Kasumi is a skilled gymnast. She's been great at it even since junior school, so Shujin has high hopes for her. She also joined at the same time as Joker (she is a first year, after all), which is probably how Kamoshida hasn't gotten his claws on her yet. This explains why her outfit is basically a gymnast's uniform plus a jacket (besides just fanservice) and her dancing to a large crowd in the trailer. The sharp mask and flower on the other side of her sheath are nice touches though~ (*4)
  • The first Kasumi screenshot seems to confirm the ability to have lunches with your friends at school. For those who don't know, this was an intended feature in the base game but removed (though removed late enough that the necessary files are still in the game). You could also have lunch with Kawakami - and anyone else who went to Shujin really, which of course now includes Kasumi (but not Futaba or Yusuke :/)!
  • Edit 1: The site also describes her as being key to the plot, so chances are she is indeed the voice from the start of the trailer and it does indeed tie into a new ending.
  • As u/icecreamsnow pointed out here, her being a gymnast may be why her cosplayer did a ribbon dance at the end of today's concert.
    • Edit 10: On both days, her cosplayer ends with a nervous look on her face before looking around and smiling. She did the exact same thing twice, so could this be a hint towards Kasumi's own personality? Is she shy despite her talent, and will we see this after her dance from the trailer?
  • Edit 3: In addition to being an epic shot of Kasumi in action (her black outfit goes really well with her red hair and eyes!) This shot also shows a new location in the Casino Palace. I'm confident in saying it's the Casino Palace because of the dice and enemy design, but this looks to be some sort of storage room? Almost like the backstage of a performance hall!
    • Edit 14: Also, there being enemies behind her - in Shadow forms at that - leads me to believe this is a cutscene. Note that her pose is different from when she performed a Critical Attack in the trailer; her gun is on her shoulder instead of her firing yet and her feet are in a different position. It's an amazing pose all the same, of course! And it really highlights the frills on her sleeves\~
    • Edit 19: But this begs the question: why is she the focus of a cutscene at this point, and such an action-packed cutscene at that? Could this be how she makes her appearance, already having her Persona and Thief outfit? It'd support the evidence that she's one of the last members to join the team and the suggestions that she has her own motives for joining the Thieves if she can already fight and hold her own in the Metaverse before meeting them. It'd double as a nice parallel to Haru and Akechi, who also join partway through a dungeon and are already capable of fighting respectively. Also, her fighting "guards" in the middle or end of the Casino for her debut would also parallel Joker fighting multiple guards in a cutscene in the prologue/ end of the Casino as his debut. Of course, this in turn means the shot of Kasumi in a blue room would have to come from the end of the game OR as a flashback to whenever she got her Persona and whatever event shaped who she is today.
    • Edit 20: Following from the above paragraph, she does seem awfully confident with her rifle to just sling it over her shoulder single-handed like that. Granted, every Thief is an instant expert with their weapons, but something about this seems especially proficient. Maybe it's just the leathe epicness of the scene and her outfit.
    • Edit 20: Regardless of if this is Kasumi's introduction and whether she's an adversary or if this is just a cool moment for her in a cutscene, let's go back to the reasoning of this being some sort of storage room - why are we here? In the core game we had to "un-cheat" in the Casino's games. Could this be related to one of those? If so, will there be a reworking of the two games we directly interfere with (i.e. the first two), or will we get to fix the second two games this time around - for example, are we currently on our way to/ back from fixing the lights from the Dark Room challenge? And all of this hinges on: are those games still in the Palace? Or have they been removed/ replaced completely, and this room is something completely unrelated to them or tied to (fixing) a new game?
  • Edit 18: I couldn't find this information for myself on the site or magazine, but a lot of people have talked about this so it's highly likely I just missed it. Anyway, this tweet (again from Mystic) elaborates on her bio, adding that she's also a transfer student (this part I still have doubts about) and despite joining the Thieves has her own motives (more on this later on and in my follow up post). The second tweet also states that she "holds Ren in high regard" despite her opinion of the Thieves. Perhaps this is why her Thief outfit is so similar to his; without even seeing Joker her psyche was affected by Ren's ideologies enough that her image of rebellion changed match his? Or is she fond of him because they were already similar despite their ideologies?
• Takuto is a new Confidant and comes in as a counsellor for students after Kamoshida's confession. As the trailer shows, there are voiced scenes for him interacting with Ann without Joker needing to be around, so I assume he works similarly to the confessional in the base game. He has the Consultant Arcana which doesn't exist in the standard or Thoth set, but the number is 1, meaning he's a renamed Magus (like how Hunger from P4G was a renamed Lust). This makes sense, since the Magician (the basis for the Magus Arcana) is meant to be the Fool's guide/ first ally on his journey to the World.
  • Edit 15: For those thinking her may be evil, the Consultant Arcana depicts people thanking/ worshipping the sun. This could be seen as a good sign of his trustworthiness, but also a sign of his intent to control people. Also note how the people above him are falling or look scared. Another hint at his true intentions?

Section 2:

• This says we'll be able to experience the third semester of the year that we couldn't in the base game. The second screenshot supports this by showing Joker (in his winter jacket), celebrating with the PTs (including Kasumi but not Goro) on Jan 1st, despite being arrested the previous week. However, the first shot shows a boy with blue eyes but otherwise similar appearance to him. I guess Morgana got his wish after all! He's not in the group shot though - maybe he takes the fall in Joker's place? Seems harsh to just celebrate without him though... (*2)
  • Edit 3: Persona Central's translation states that the new boy speaks in a familiar way and uses the first person pronoun "wagahai," which I think is what Morgana uses (any help from Japanese speakers will be greatly appreciated)!
  • Edit 4: Thanks to u/Elisianthus, u/shabonsong and u/Kulzak-Draak for the translation! The boy is named Ikemen (meaning "pretty boy") and says:

And now Lady Ann and I will finally... happy cat noises

• Edit 5.5: On the topic of the mysterious boy, note that he wears a black jacket (like Morgana's fur), white trousers (like the pads of his feet) and wears a yellow necklace (like Morgana's scarf). It has to be him! The only question now is whether the change happens as part of the story or as a result of completing his Confidant, and thus if his Confidant is optional now.

In any case, this confirms a "Golden" ending where Joker doesn't need to turn himself in to ensure Shido gets punished. Maybe this involves the "vision" at the start of the trailer and getting Goro to confess on his behalf instead? Or maybe the Yaldabaoth situation is handled differently in such a way that gives Sae the evidence she needs to convict him (assuming the bonus dungeon is in fact the Velvet Room)?
Edit 1: But this also begs the question: what will we do in those three months? Will the Metaverse survive the final boss this time around, or will the last three months be purely for social stats and Confidants? Will at least Mementos survive, so we can complete Confidants, or will they be re-written (by default or after the end of the game) so that Mementos won't be necessary for them?
Section 3:
This details the additions to the overworld and Metaverse.
School Life

• The new location, Kichijoji, "represents Tokyo" and is "a place where people of all ages and genders can enjoy themselves". [Note that there is a new icon on the minimap with an "i" in a yellow circle. Some sort of tourist guide?] Even in the trailer it looked huge! The darts stuff seems to be a collaboration with a real life company, Dart Live (This particular image seems to be taken after Madarame's Palace and features one of many examples of redone character art/ sprites!)
• The aquarium is confirmed to be a date spot (which is why we only see Joker with one other person there as opposed to a larger group at the darts/ pool place). There's also another amusement park here where he's seen with the twins, which also confirms...
• You can hangout with the twins! P3FES and P4G added hangout opportunities with Velvet Room residents, so it seems the pattern will continue here.
• There will now be extra text conversations based on group hangouts, complete with pictures. This also makes me think the subsets of PTs we hang out with will be fixed - the photos are prerendered, after all. Joker has a nice smile though.
  • Edit 18: MysticDistance pointed out that this selfie is taken from the buffet the founding members of the Thieves attend after dealing with Kamoshida. The table and outfits match and everyone's even sitting in the same positions they are in that scene, so I'm strongly inclined to agree!

Phantom Life

• Some enemies will now appear with a purple aura (similar to those that go berserk) and will be stronger than ordinary ones. They appear as soon as the first Palace it seems, which is an interesting way to keep new and old players on their toes.
• Something can happen in the Velvet Room which turns the place red, though no-one seems to notice.
  • Edit 3: Persona Central's translation states that the red light is part of the alarms going off, though what this means is still a mystery.
  • Edit 8: Since Goro seems to be sticking around, the alarm could be him joining as a fellow resident of the Room. Maybe even Kasumi (too), as suggested by some of you!
    • Edit 27: Remember how everyone gets limited access to the Wild Card because the P3 and P4 Heroes are in close proximity in PQ? What if everyone gets the Wild Card here for the same reason, wouldn't that be an amazing late-game boost for everyone, add a ton more complexity and nuance to team-building and give you a way to keep your favourite characters on your team? And what if having Kasumi around (Wild Card or not) means Joker and Goro keep their full potential instead of losing it like in PQ? What if having Kasumi around gives the three of them (or even the whole team) even more benefits, like a new evolution to their base Personas? I keep forgetting to add this one...
    • P.S. It'd also be interesting to spend the new semester in the Velvet Room with the door unlocked too. Maybe we'll be able to explore it and see the dungeons where everyone else gets imprisoned - if not even more? (Speaking of, while Goro may be arrested and feel like he deserves it to boot, will Kasumi? She's a mysterious one after all!)
• New items can appear in dungeons, on plinths that looks like they came straight out of the depths of Mementos.

Spec-Up

• There are new Network functionalities added, though what they are isn't explained. You can warp immediately to the hideout though, I'm looking forward to that! (Even if it isn't available in this particular screenshot...) Edit 18: Is the option unavailable because there's no Palace to infiltrate? If so, what about Mementos? Or is the Metaverse unavailable for story reasons (as it sometimes was in the core game)? But why so early on - is the reason related to the new story? By the way, I think it's safe to assume the Circle and X options will be swapped in the Western release - Japan often uses Circle for "Yes" and X for "No" in menus and worldwide releases almost always swap these around (e.g. in the base Persona 5 as well as in other games like Nier:Automata).
  • Edit 18: This tweet from MysticDistance explains that Co-op Assist and Status Assist represent your Confidant and Social Stats respectively (the Japanese version of the game uses "Cooperation" instead of "Confidant"). Given these are two menus you'll be visiting often throughout the game, especially on your first play through, having them accessible through a quick menu is a wonderful QoL change!
• Shoji Meguro and Lyn have done new work for the game, with the latter also singing new opening, ending and battle songs. Maybe we'll get a battle theme on the level of Rivers in the Desert!
• The game will be PS4 Pro enabled, meaning better graphics on that system. Also, the game is PS4 exclusive. Hopefully P5S will throw a bone to our Switch brethren!

---
Edit 1: Thanks to the screenshot in this thread (thank you, u/ZuskatoIsR3D) we can see Kasumi's stats in relation to everyone else's. Her numbers are lower than the other three, though this could just mean she recently joined the group and needs to catch up, but her SP is less than half her HP. This could mean either:

• She's a melee/ gun-fighter. The latter would be interesting since we don't have one of those in the base roster (save Haru, but she's also the Psy character of the group so chances are you'll specialise her in one or the other field).
• She's P4G!Naoto levels of OP and the low SP count is to mitigate that.
• She's badly optimised OR that this is simply an early build of the game :P

The next batch on information will come on May 9th. However, there's also a talk show tomorrow with Joker's VA that was supposed to give P5R info, which makes me think tomorrow will just have a recap of today's stuff (along with info of an upgrade deal for existing owners, I hope).
Persona 5 Royal releases on Halloween in Japan and 2020 in the West (the English trailer also confirms the Western name drops the "The" in the Japanese title as many suspected, following P4G's example). 'til then, enjoy! I hope you found this useful!
Edit 4: Theories (marked with "(*X)" above):

1. It's possible that the meeting between Kasumi, Ren and Akechi is where we hear the dialogue from last month's trailer ("What do you think of the Phantom Thieves?") After all, them meeting at all means she isn't restricted to only meeting him at the TV station, and this gives her more time to form an opinion on how they work - at least until finding her way into the metaverse and seeing what they do and why.
2. u/TheReaperCreeper had a much better suggestion than me: what if Akechi is the one who turns himself in for Ren's sake? As another user of the Metaverse he can also answer questions about it to get Shido sentenced, while also paying for his own crimes. Better still, he could claim to be the leader of the Thieves to keep the law off everyone else's backs, thus getting to redeem himself while also being punished for the things he did. Thanks, Reaper!
3. I was going to say Kasumi may only be important because she was in the right place at the right time, but this certainly hints at a more supernatural cause if true.
4. u/hypercombofinish suggested Kasumi's Persona could be Dorothée, and since her outfit shares so many similarities to Joker's I think this is highly likely. For those who don't know, Dorothée is the lead character of the novel The Secret Tomb, the only Arsène Lupin book in which Arsène himself doesn't appear. Instead the plot is about Dorothée solving one of his "four fabulous secrets". This could be highly fitting for someone initially disagrees with the Thieves before becoming one herself and would also tie her into Joker's "mythology" the same way Marie and her backstory tied into Izanagi's (and thus Yu) - assuming Kasumi is the Aeon Arcana and not a Fool or Jester or something completely different, of course.
5. The trailer as a whole has a small narrative running about Kasumi trying to dissuade the Thieves from their work, while Morgana tells her they won't be swayed by the danger or not getting results. This provides some early insight into her character, but maybe she eventually goes off the deep end and tries to control everything as a way of keeping everyone safe? Morgana telling her that "granting everyone's dreams is bad" and her saying she "took everyone's dreams" is also quite interesting. Maybe Wakaba and human!Morgana are just illusions? I plan on making a full post about the translated trailer tomorrow, but this is just something to sleep on until then.

---
(Just search for "Edit X" to see what each change entailed. Check the time stamp to see if I added anything you missed or want to correct!)
Edit 1: Just added a few tweaks based on stuff I've seen elsewhere on the sub and stuff I forgot to add the first time.
P.S. ...am I the only one who thinks Kasumi looks better in her school uniform? ^{Anyone? Maybe because I like clothed people and the pose shows her off better?}
Edit 2: Amended the descriptions of Kasumi's weapons.
Edit 3: Added a detail I overlooked the first time and clarifications from Persona Central's article. (Edit made at 16:53 UTC.)
Edit 4: Added translations for the new boy and a theory section, 17:31 UTC.
Edit 5: Added more translations, a correction about Joker's grappling hook and a new theory! 21:47 UTC.
Edit 5.5: Added a quick note I forgot to under the "mysterious boy's" section. 21:54 UTC.
Edit 6: Another edit, another translation! 22:22 UTC.
Edit 7: Added information from the translated trailer and u/quitethewaysaway's observation. 22:50 UTC.
Edit 7.5: Edited theory 5, 22:53 UTC.
25th April
Edit 8: I wrote another post about the translated trailer and added some new speculation there including possible Gnostic influences! Also I added a possible explanation for the alarms ringing in the Velvet Room. 9:40 (am) UTC.
Edit 9: This has nothing to do with Persona 5 Royal, but I wrote a post for P5S too! It's nowhere near as detailed as this one (since we have nowhere near as much info), but I hope you find it worth reading nonetheless! 14:39 UTC.
Edit 10: Added a shower thought inspired by Kasumi's cosplayer. 16:19 UTC.
Edit 11: Added a detail about Futaba's AOA that I noticed on rewatching the trailer. 18:14 UTC.
Edit 12: Finally managed to snag a picture of the above, and also added a scene from the trailer I didn't think worth mentioning before but have since changed my mind on. 21:13 UTC.
27th April
Edit 13: Added a new observations from the trailer. 08:35 UTC (am).
Edit 14: Added more info about a screenshot. 13:05 UTC.
Edit 15: Added some info from Twitter. I wish I knew of MysticDistance's work sooner! 13:54 UTC.
Edit 16: Added some observations from the trailer. 20:15 UTC.
Edit 17: Added a screenshot of the mystery figure on the TV screen. 20:47 UTC.
28th April
Edit 18: Added more details from Twitter, some speculation and a feature about the cutscenes I keep forgetting to add! 10:09 UTC.
Edit 19: Added speculation about when Kasumi joins the Thieves as well as a theory on Okumura's Palace. 14:05 UTC.
Edit 20: Added some speculation and further observations. 16:52 UTC.
UPDATES: This post is now too long to add to, so further updates will be added in the comments (along with text from here to show where the new details fit in.
Edit 21: Can be found here. 22:17 UTC. (Edit 21.5: Added a link to the magazine article and boldened the links to the trailer and site. 22:25 UTC).
29th April
Edit 22: Can be found here and contains some further speculation! 19:13 UTC.
Edit 23: Can be found here and details Kasumi's animations and possible symbolism of her stats/ potential playstyle. 19:36 UTC.
Edit 24: More speculation! 20:03 UTC.
Edit 25! 21:32 UTC.
30th April
Edit 26! 20:12 UTC.
(Edit 26.5: Added the above date and italicised it and the 29th for better clarity. 21:13 UTC.)
Edit 27: Added something I've been forgetting to add ever since adding the speculation of Goro (and Kasumi) joining Joker as "inmates," followed by some shower thoughts! 21:48 UTC.
Edit 28! A big one if I say so myself, about Kasumi's theorised code name, "Swan". Now I really hope we were right! 22:06 UTC.
4th May
Edit 29, 30 and 31: I was able to cover a lot over the past few days, including an analysis of Kasumi's character and name so far and translations for everything on the trailer and website! 16:49 UTC.
Edit 32: A new thought and an old thought. 23:00 UTC.
5th May
Edit 33: A thought regarding the narrative impact of the similarities between Kasumi and Joker's outfits. 10:01 UTC.
Edit 34: Wrote an analysis of the main song, Colors Flying High, and added some suggestions for the origins and implications of Kasumi's powers! 15:14 UTC.
6th May
Edit 35: More theories based on suggestions from the comments! 14:16 UTC.
Edit 36: New theories from the comments and something I keep forgetting to mention. 14:43 UTC.
Edit 37+ listed here!

Tons of posts are asking about this town (mine included), so I decided to go through the /kelowna history and put all the responses in a central place. It can be a guide for visitors and Kelowna newbies in general. All the information has been gathered exclusively from posts here. If you'd like to add anything to the list, or see any errors, reply below and I'll add it to the main post below. (Mods, if this is long-term useful, you can sticky it.)

Activities & Things To Do

Indoor

• Swimming pools (see Swimming Pools below)
• Gaming (see Gaming section below)
• Live music (see Live Music below)
• Go-karts, arcade games, and mini golf at Scandia
• Karaoke at Creekside pub
• Play pool at McCullough pub
• Bowling at McCurdy
• Indoor rock climbing at Gneiss and Beyond the Crux
• Sushi classes at Start Fresh Kitchen
• Start to finish pottery at That Pottery Place
• Crafts at the New Art Collective space.
• Comedy at Dakoda's (Open mic night Thursday 7pm, $5 show at 9pm, Friday and Saturday at 7pm & 9pm)
• Comedy at Dunnenzie's ("Big Slice Of Comedy", a pay-what-you-want show Wednesday at 7pm)
• Adult and Kids beginner drawing and painting classes at The Dunbar Studio
• Indoor batting cages at The Yardhouse (on Spedding Court)

Outdoor

• Camping (see Camping below)
• Hiking (see Hiking below)
• Fly fishing (see Fly Fishing below)
• Snow skiing & Snowboarding (see Skiing & Snowboarding below)
• Go up to postil and find one of the large, open fields. This works better in the snow because it's more comfortable to lie on than dirt, but one can get creative if need be. Bring a tarp and blankets and warm clothes, fire supplies and snacks optional. Pretty much bed down under an open sky with zero light pollution, and watch the stars.
• Ice Skating at Adventure Skate Trail at Apex in Penticton, Big White
• Corn mazes (O'Keefe Ranch, etc)
• Hay rides at MacMillan Farms
• Tubing and Snowboarding at Big White
• Drive from Lake Country to Vernon, then take Westside road back from the North Okanagan.
• "The drive down this route beside the lake is one of our favourites. Stop at the salted caramel on the way for some good treats and coffee."
• Winter hikes are nice on the greenway, KVR, etc. (https://www.tourismkelowna.com/blog/post/4-winter-hikes-that-will-make-you-love-the-snow/)
• Hot springs in Nakusp
• Weekend races and demolition events at Penticton speedway
• Kelowna Rockets and Westside Warriors hockey games
• Archery range at Innawoods
• Kangaroo farm in Lake Country (seasonal)
• Airsoft at Black Dragon Airsoft and Joe Rich Sportsman's Association
• Kasugai Gardens
• Okanagan Sun football team, part of the CJFL. Watch live games during the season.

Barber

• Plan B
• Man Made
• Sir Barbershop (cash only)
• Das Barbershop (Rutland)
• The Tailored Shave (Kimi & Alex recommended)
• True Gents (Josh & Kyle recommended)
• Lorenzo's
• Roosters (in Winfield)
• Kelowna Barbershop (on Pandosy)

Bike Rental

• Kelowna Cycle (Pandosy)
• Fresh Air
• MEC

Breweries / Craft Beer

• Rustic Reel
• Red Bird
• Vice and Virtue
• McCurdy Lanes Brew Pub
• BNA
• Tree Brewing Institute (in the Grand on Water Street)
• Freddie's Brew Pub
• Kettle River Brewing
• Copper Brewing Co
• Wild Ambition
• Boundary Brewing
• Barn Owl Brewing
• Kind Brewing

Camping

BC Parks Campgrounds Reserve

• Bear Creek
• Fintry
• Ellison
• Mabel Lake
• Okanagan North & South
• Kekuli Bay

Other Camping

• Beaver lake area. Car camping OK. Just take a left instead of going into the resort and you'll see the turnoff along the main road.
• Peachland lake on the West Side, just above Princeton Rd. Few good sites along the lake to use and there some decent sized trout in the lake. There's a quarry area a lot of people use, but you go to the right along the lake there's some better spots.
• "My buddy's bachelor party" spot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RttFA4BfYCd2xAGf8
• James Lake
• Bear Lake FSR (Lambly lake, Jackpine lake, Horseshoe lake)
• Postil lake (4x4 area, parties and bonfires common)
• Hydraulic lake
• Kaloya

Concert Hosts / Weeklies / Promoter Events

• Footwerk Events
• The Rock District
• Fruitcake (LGBTQ+)
• Project Saturday at Blueprint
• Bull riding Thursdays at Coral
• College Thursdays at Gotham
• South Okanagan Events Center shows

Dispensaries

• See the Sticky Thread

Dog Parks

• Cedar Creek Dog Beach
• Unknown name near the bottom of Knox mountain
• Rowcliffe Park (Richter @ Rowcliffe)
• Mission Creek dog park
• Ellison Dog Park (behind the airport)
• Unknown name behind Shaw on enterprise. The entrance is between the BMW dealership and the Shaw building, right across the street from the back entrance to Home Depot.

Festivals & Annual Large Events

• Great Okanagan Beer Fest
• Fireside Sessions
• Center of Gravity
• Peak Pride & Pride week
• ComicCon
• Okanagan Eats
• Hopscotch
• Rock The Lake
• Demin on the Diamond
• Westjet wine tastings
• Fat Cat (family)
• Diner en Blanc
• Downtown block party
• Dragon boat
• Ribfest
• Bridal expo

Fly Fishing

• Frazer Lake (bass)
• Mission Creek
• Trout Creek near Summerland (keep following the road until it turns to gravel)
• Shannon Lake in West Kelowna

Food and Restaurants

Asian

• Mad Mango (Malaysian)
• Hoang Gia (Vietnamese)
• Hoolala Chicken (Korean)

Chinese

• Mei Wei Chinese Cuisine (in West Kelowna)
• J-Wok (Gordon Drive)
• Yum Yum Tree (in Capri mall)
• Imperial Banquet (in Rutland)
• Tradition (Lawrence)

Dog-friendly

• ???

Good for Groups

• ???

Indian

• Made in India
• Dawett
• Dosa Crepes
• Chutney Cuisine of India

Ramen

• Little Tokyo Ramen Truck (Kirschner Road next to Copper Brewing on Saturday 3pm and Sundays 2pm)
• Wasabi Izakaya

Thai

• Mon Thong
• Zabb Thai
• Thai Terrace

Brunch

• Bohemian
• Craft
• Okanagan Street Food
• Sunny's Diner
• Krafty
• Central
• The Grateful Fed
• Canadian Brewhouse
• El Dorado

French

• Bouchon's

Hamburgers

• Central Restaurant
• Bin 4
• Woody's (Lake Country, the Camp Burger is the fucking bomb, especially if you get elk instead of beef.)
• Grateful Fed

Italian

• Mamma Rosa's
• La Bussola

Mexican / Comida Latina

• Surfside truck (tacos)
• La Fiesta (Rutland)
• YLW Tacos
• El Taquero
• Fernando's

Pies

• Lakeview market at the corner of Klo and LPandosy
• Davidson's Orchard
• Don o Ray

Pizza

• Dunnenzies
• Bellisimo
• Okanagan Pizza
• Hansen's (closed Mondays)
• Smack DAB (big patio)
• Neapolitan (Downtown)
• Pizza Studio
• Antico
• Famoso (on Pandosy)

Subs / Sandwhiches

• Woodfire bakery
• Pearson's European Deli
• Ferrara's Italian Market
• Mediterranean Market (on Gordon)
• Johnny's Meats
• Safeway (Downtown)
• Bread Co
• Nourish

Sushi

• Blue Tail
• Ozeki's
• Yama Sushi
• Momo's
• Maki Sushi
• Ume
• Tokyo1 (all you can eat sushi)
• Sushi Zen (Rutland)
• Nagano
• Sakura (West Side)
• Mi-Ne

Tasting Menus

• Liquidity Winery in Okanagan falls
• Salt & Brick
• Mission Hill

Steakhouse

• Cactus Club

Vegan & Vegetarian

• Naked Cafe
• Lake Tai
• Frankie We Salute You
• 97 Street Pub

Not Dedicated Vegan, but a Decent Vegan Selection

• Social 242 (delicious deep fried cauliflower!)
• Curious Cafe (amazing pizza and vegan cheese)
• Earls (a separate 8 items)
• EK's Grill (has a dedicated menu)
• SOY Asian Fusion (arguably the best fries in Kelowna oddly enough)
• Bluetail Sushi

Wineries

• See Wineries below

Wings

• Bunkhouse (Wing Wednesday)
• Dakota's (Central)
• Creekside (Mission)
• EK's Grill (on Glenmore, wings on Wednesdays)
• Hoolala Chicken Cafe
• Wingz (Rutland)
• Brandt's Creek (Glenmore)
• Tonics (Downtown)

Gaming

• Kelowna Gaming Discord Server
• Pokemon Go: Team Mystic Kelowna / Pokemon Go: Team Valor Kelowna
• Super Kelowna Bros 2 Discord Server
• Board games and beer at Munnin's Post
• Board game nights at Quantum
• Friday Night Magic at Quantum (Commander Wednesdays, Modern Thursdays)
• Retro Arcade and Pinball at Hemp City downtown (cannabis allowed in the back room)

Gyms

• Goodlife fitness
• Anytime fitness
• Body and Soul (on Enterprise)
• H2O
• World's Gym

Hiking

• Boulderfields (2.5/5 difficulty)
• John's Family Regional Conservancy park
• Pincushion trail (out of Peachland)
• Rose Valley reservoir loop
• Enderby cliffs
• Angel Springs (bring bug spray)
• Blue Grouse
• Crawford Falls (requires scrambling)
• Little White Mtn (access off Canyon Lakes FSR, first left when coming from the south)
• Carrot Top Bluffs (on the westside)
• Spion Kop (Lake Country)

Ice Skating

• Daily Courier Building
• Stuart Park (includes rentals, jan/feb)
• Apex
• Big White
• Silver Star

Internet Service Providers

• Telus
• TekSavvy
• Light Speed (Shaw reseller)
• Can-com
• Uniserve
• Shaw

Live Music

• Blue Gator
• Fernando's
• Muninn's Post
• Doc Willoughby's
• Community theater
• Mary Irwin theater

Mountain Biking

• Knox
• Rose Valley
• Smith Creek
• Powers Creek
• Myra Crawford
• Gillard

Nightlife / Clubs

• Sapphire Club
• Gotham Club (formerly Level)
• OK Corral
• BnA (Bowling, bocci, etc)
• Skinny Dukes
• Casino at the Grand

Places to Avoid

• Leon (Richter to City Park)

Real Estate Agents

• Trevor Florko at Century 21
• Dale Patterson at Remax
• Quincy Vrecko & Associates
• Jesse East at Remax
• Vantage West Realty

Salons

Hair

• Pomme
• Purnama
• Mod
• Loyal
• Fringe
• Crimson
• Plan B

Nails

• Faces
• Amora

Skiing & Snowboarding

Local, within 90 minutes

• Big White
• Apex
• Silver Star

Within a few hours drive

• Blady
• Sun Peaks
• WhiteWater
• Red
• Revelstoke Mtn
• Kicking Horse
• Manning Park

Helicopter

• Kingfisher
• Selkirk

Cross Country & Nordic

• Silver Star
• Kelowna Nordic Club (McCullough)

Strippers

• Liquid Zoo
• Cheerahs

Swimming Pools

• H20 (heated in winter)
• Parkinson's Rec
• YMCA (in Rutland)

Taxis / Driver Service

(There's no Uber or Lyft in Kelowna)

• https://www.checkmatecabs.com/
• https://currenttaxi.ca/
• https://www.kelownacabs.ca/
• https://www.westcabs.ca/
• https://yourdriver.ca/

Tailor

• Zorro's on Ellis
• Cosmo Tailoring on St Paul
• Katrina's Fashion Design and Alterations in West Kelowna
• Roy's Shoe Repair (only leather)

Tattoos

• Paige at Tradesman Tattoo Company
• Stevie or Brian Joubert at Narrow Waters Tattoo
• Benny and Jessie Beans at Haven Tattoo in Rutland
• Jeff and Kirk at Urge 3 in Ptenticton

Theatre

• Actors' STudio
• New Vintage
• Fred Skeleton

Thrift Stores / Consignment Stores

• Second Time Around (on Spall and Springfield)
• Lost it Together (vintage/modern, in Rutland, Plaza 33 Mall)
• MCC (in Rutland)
• Georgie Girl (vintage, on Ellis)
• Value Village (in Rutland)
• Share Depot (on Gaston Ave)
• Frock & Fellow (on Bernard)
• Salvation Army (on Rutland Rd, on Sutherland/Burtch, on the West Side)
• The Hospital Auxillary (on Dougall just off Hwy 33)
• SWITCH (in West Kelowna)
• Jen's 14 plus (they have 10 and up)

Veterinarians

• Central Valley
• Pounce and Hound
• KLO
• Dr Oz (in West Kelowna)
• Okanagan Animal Hospital (on Sexsmith)

Watch Hockey

• Canadian Brewhouse on Pandosy
• Copper Brewing
• Tap House
• Doc's

Wineries

• The Hatch in West Kelowna
• Hitch in East Kelowna
• Off the Grid (they rescue baby goats, so there's a little baby goat sanctuary)
• Sandhill in downtown Kelowna
• The Vibrant Wine in East Kelowna
• Quail's Gate

Yoga

• Dawn Petrin Yoga + Cannabis (BYOC) at Tandava Yoga
• H2O (in Mission)
• The Women's Place
• Hotbox (on Bernard)
• Solstice (on Ellis)
• Modo (on Pandosy)

Christmas Day 2019
This is an update from last year's list which is an update of some list from a year or two ago.
Outdoor Activities
If the weather is good (check forecast[1]), here's some outdoor activities:

• Go to the beach
• Go to the gardens
  • Auckland Botanic Gardens is open for people to wander around but visitor centre will be closed. Sculpture in the gardens (or Our Auckland listing)
  • Parnell Rose Gardens.
  • Auckland Domain. Auckland Domain Walks including a sculpture walk.
  • Albert Park and University of Auckland grounds
  • Cornwall Park. Visitor info has links to the map for Christmas tree trail as well as map for the park.
• Walking Tracks around Auckland - Auckland Council and Department of Conservation.
• Visit the various volcanoes in Auckland. Both Mt Victoria and Mt Eden will have beautiful views of the city. There's public transport. You will need to walk up.
  • Mt Eden (Bus is 27W or 27H)
  • Mt Victoria lookout (or wikipedia) - Take the ferry to Devonport, walk from ferry to the top of Mt Victoria.
  • One Tree Hill (and Cornwall Park surrounding it)
  • Rangitoto Island. Take one or more of the walks there. Definitely ensure you go up to the top of the crater for the view. Some people stay a bit longer and have a picnic morning tea/lunch. You can't buy lunch there. Rangitoto. It is a pest-free island reserve and so you have to ensure you leave it as you arrived. Info about visiting pest free islands. Ferry - Fullers timetable.
  • See 6 volcanoes and never leave Auckland. CNN Travel. 27 June 2017.
  • Auckland Volcano Cones by Auckland Tourism, Wikipedia, GNS science, Science Learning Hub
• Muriwai Gannet Colony.
  • Only an option if you have your own transport and able to walk as it is about 30 mins walk from the carpark. Discussion in 2018 about the duration of walk from carpark.
  • World famous in New Zealand: Gannet Colony, Muriwai. Stuff. Aug 05 2018.
  • Info by Auckland Council, NZ Birds, Wikipedia. Go to the beach too.
• Ride around in a bike (ONZO). Maps and Rides suggested by Auckland Transport and Bike Auckland. On Bike Auckland's site, if you hover your mouse over the "Maps & Rides" menu, you'll find other options like easy rides.
• Auckland Transport's Public Transport holiday timetables from 23 December 2019 - 12 January 2020.
• Scooters - one or two scooter services you can hire by the minute. Flamingo. Possibly Jump, Neuron, and Beam. No Lime and Wave scooters. Articles: NZ Herald or Newshub.

[1] Weather forecasts by Metservice and Weather Watch.
Indoor Activities:

• Go to church - you can experience christmas day service in a number of languages in Auckland.
  • St Patrick's Cathedral (Catholic) https://www.stpatricks.org.nz/ You'll find other Auckland Catholic parishes here https://www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/
  • Anglican Diocese - Christmas Services 2019. Also Christmas at St Matthew-in-the-City.
  • There are other denominations like Methodists, Baptists, AOG, Salvation Army, etc. Just search for them. I suspect the local visitor info centre and hotels have a list for their guests.
  • I think these lists above are services in English. I don't see the services in other languages listed there. You will be able to find services in many pacific island languages and asian languages. It is a case of whether you'll find the particular combination you are looking for in a location you can get to on Christmas day.
  • Use google search if you are after a particular church denomination. Wikipedia list of Church organisations in NZ. Not sure how complete it is. Churches' Christmas message: Waiting for Christmas has a list of clergy,(with their affliation) signing the message at the bottom. While the list is old and clergy may have changed, the church organisations are most likely to be around.
• Go to the movies.
  • Queen St + Manukau Event cinemas open on Christmas Day. https://www.eventcinemas.co.nz/
  • Hoyts https://www.hoyts.co.nz/ Hoyts Sylvia Park, Te Awa (Hamilton), Riccarton (Christchurch) and Entertainment X were open on Christmas Day 2018. Unfortunately site won't load at the moment. There's a chance a few cinemas from this group will be open on Christmas day.
• https://snowplanet.co.nz/ is open every year on Christmas day.
• Skycity Auckland - This is a hotel with the skytower. You can go up the tower on Christmas Day. There will be restaurants open. The casino will be closed.
• Kelly Tarlton's - Opening Hours on their website doesn't say they are closed on Christmas day. They were open in 2018 and previous years.
• Auckland Airport is open.
• Definitely closed: Auckland Zoo, Auckland Museum, Auckland Art Gallery, all casinos in NZ.

Event searches

• Eventfinda search for Auckland on 25 December 2019 or list of Christmas events (which may not necessarily be on christmas day).
• Our Auckland search for 25 December 2019

Public Transport
Auckland Transport's Public Transport holiday timetables from 23 December 2019 - 12 January 2020. Waiheke ferry timetable (pdf).
Food and Drink
Go to the supermarket on Christmas Eve to stock up on food and essentials. No supermarket and most businesses will be closed on Christmas Day. Christmas Day is one of very few mandatory public holidays in NZ, even the casino is closed 24 hours. Only places allowed to remain open are petrol stations, some fast food places and restaurants.
Hospitality businesses (restaurants, cafes etc) are able to charge a public holiday surcharge if they open on public holidays. If they do so they have to state clearly (ie sign at the door, or counter or menu). This public holidays are 25 and 26 December 2018, and 1 and 2 January 2019. FYI 26 December is also known as Boxing day in NZ.
Alcohol cannot be served unless with a meal[2]. So if something that looks like a pub is open, it is highly likely they are open to serve meals and you can order an alcoholic drink with your meal.
Restaurants that are open tend to be fast food places like McDs, KFC, restaurants that are part of hotels, a few ethnic restaurants and maybe a handful of others.
[2] That particular law applies only to Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day as well as before 1pm on Anzac Day. Legislation: Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. Despite the date of the act, the law has been around for some time. 2010 news article about it. Sale and supply on Anzac Day morning, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and Christmas Day restricted: on-licences.
Without any particular order:

• Hotels with restaurants: Christmas Day at The CUT, Rydges Auckland, Christmas dining at Stamford Plaza, Christmas day at Grand Mercure Auckland, Festive dining at Skycity Auckland's Restaurants - Each restaurant has a different offer for Christmas day, Christmas Day buffet at Novotel Ellerslie, Christmas at Cordis Auckland. many hotels with restaurants - I won't be listing them all. Just giving you a few so you have an idea.
• Denny's restaurant (American). Locations on website. There's a popup when you go to their webpage that says they are open on Christmas day.
• Denizen’s guide to the restaurants that are open over the holidays. The Denizen. 18 Dec 2019.
• Post about a restaurant offering free lunch or dinner on Christmas day.
• Christmas and NY Hours in Mission Bay https://www.missionbay.co.nz/mission-bay-christmas-new-years-hours.
• Viaduct Auckland https://www.viaduct.co.nz/2019/12/16/whats-on-wheres-open-at-viaduct-harbour-this-christmas/
• Dairies are open. For tourist: Dairies in NZ are a local convenience stores often found dotted around NZ, usually local to a neighbourhood. Wikipedia). They are known elsewhere with other names bodega, superettes, 7-11 or the shop attached to petrol stations.

Other essential info
Alcohol and smoking in public areas
Please note that there's usually an alcohol ban in many public areas like bus stops, parks, reserves etc. This means you are banned from consuming alcohol publicly unless you are in a licenced establishment (ie restaurant). Alcohol bans are either for an event, for extended periods or permanent. For more information about alcohol ban in Auckland.
Auckland Smokefree policy has a list of places where smoking is not permitted. This isn't limited to indoor areas only. It also includes parks, playgrounds, bus stops.
With NY celebrations coming up I won't be surprised if there's both alcohol and fire bans in popular beach areas and parks too.
Fire Season

• As this is summer, there's usually a fire ban in many areas in NZ.
• Fire and Emergency NZ https://checkitsalright.nz/
• Change in fire seasons for Auckland.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand is updating the fire seasons for Auckland. From Monday 2 December it will declare a restricted season across greater Auckland and a prohibited fire season across all the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. A prohibited season means a total fire ban, with any current fire permits for the area suspended from the date the prohibited season starts. A restricted fire season means any open-air fires will need a permit.

• Articles:
  • Auckland to have restricted fire rules from Monday. RNZ. 29 November 2019.
  • Fire restrictions imposed across Auckland ahead of summer. Stuff. Nov 30 2019.
  • Auckland Council page on Outdoor fires.

Please, feel free to add any events below! Check out the Events Calendar and Visitor's Guide for more info!

Looking to meet up with people? Check out Meetup St. Louis.

New Year's Eve Events

• Ballpark Village
  • Ballpark Village is ringing in this New Year with added entertainment featuring the region's best DJ's along with the Pop 2000 tour hosted by Chris Kirkpatrick of *NYSNC with performances by O-Town, Ryan Cabrera & LFO's Brad Fischetti.
• Brennan's Work & Leisure
  • Brennan’s Work & Leisure and Anti-Agency invite you on a space odyssey to celebrate the New Year, 2020.
  • Once aboard the ship, enjoy a premium bar selection, heavy appetizers of the future by Chef Josh Galliano (Companion Bakery, The Libertine) and interstellar desserts by Pastry Chef Tai Davis. Groove to the night's soundscape provided by DJ Black Guy, then step into the Zero Gravity Live Feed Photo Booth to send evidence of your journey back home.
  • All passengers must report to the orbiter near midnight for a live music performance, projection show and champagne toast to the New Year. Dress: modern cocktail attire / space shuttle launch
• Casino Queen
  • Casino Queen invites area residents to partake in one of St. Louis’ biggest parties of the decade during its New Year’s Eve celebration on Tuesday, December 31. Guests will enjoy a specialty buffet, live DJ cranking out the tunes on the casino floor, a countdown to midnight with party favors for all and exclusive prize giveaways throughout the evening.
• Chase Park Plaza
  • Dress to impress for 7th Annual New Year's Eve Ball at The Chase Park Plaza. The celebration takes place in the legendary Khorassan Ballroom and will feature musical performances of DJ Greasy, Lamar Harris & The L, and a Frank Sinatra tribute.
  • Also, the event will have a premium open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, a balloon drop, and a champagne toast at midnight.
• Downtown NYE Bar Crawl
  • Take your tribe into the New Year at the 2020 NYE (New Year’s Eve) Bar Crawl taking place Tuesday, December 31, 2019 at many locations in St. Louis
  • Washington Ave Venues (List Can Change)
    • Lucas Park Grille (1234 Washington Ave)
    • Flannery's (1324 Washington Ave)
    • Rosalita's (1235 Washington Ave)
    • Hair Of The Dog (1212 Washington Ave)
    • 314 The City Bar (1137 Washington Ave)
    • Missouri Bar & Grill (701 N Tucker)
    • OveUnder (911 Washington Ave)
  • The Landing Venues (List Can Change)
    • Big Daddy's Landing (108 Morgan St)
    • Morgan Street Brewery (721 N 2nd St)
    • The Lou Eats & Drinks (710 N 2nd St)
• Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House
  • On New Year's Eve, Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House will host live music of all genres beginning at 6 p.m. until 12:45 a.m. The restaurant's full menu is served until 10 p.m. with a complimentary appetizer buffet from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and a champagne toast at midnight. No cover; cash bar. Tuesday, December 31, 6 p.m. to 12:45 a.m.
• From Skybar & Union 30
  • Your evening begins with a three-course, prix fixe dinner at the swanky Union 30 restaurant in Hotel Saint Louis, where options include a 30-ounce tomahawk ribeye, a 24-ounce dry-aged sous vide pork chop, or king crab legs. The $125 price includes admission to the NYE Blast at FORM Skybar on the 14th floor, which will host the Kim Massie Band, an open premium bar, and an appetizer buffet. There’s no charge for the prime view of the fireworks show at Kiener Plaza
• Four Seasons
  • In one of the most picturesque locations in all of Downtown St. Louis, meet us in the exclusive Sky Lobby to ring in the New Year. Recreating the eclectic energy of New York City, join us to watch the ball drop under the stars at midnight and move your feet to Spanky's Dueling Piano!
• Gateway Arch Riverboats
  • Ring in the new year with a view of the magnificent St. Louis skyline at this party cruise hosted by the Gateway Arch Riverboats. Featuring an elegant three-course dinner, open bar, DJ entertainment and a midnight champagne toast, the fun kicks off at 9 p.m. Reservations required.
• Helium Comedy Club
  • Ring in the New Year with an evening filled with laughter courtesy of Ryan Niemiller! Skip the chaos of the bars and enjoy a special night with food and drinks from the comfort of our restaurant, bar, lounge, and showroom.
• Hollywood Casino
  • Put a little Great Gatsby in your New Year’s Eve celebration with the Roaring '20s New Year’s Eve party at Hollywood Casino.
• Hyatt Regency
  • Ring in the new decade with two ballrooms with live music and fun at Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch’s Ultimate New Year’s Eve Party. The celebration will include a delicious dinner buffet, an open bar, photo booth, party favors and live music throughout the evening from Groovethang and Broseph.
• The Last Hotel
  • Celebrate the last day of 2019 at The Last! Join others in the Lobby Bar + on their fabulous Rooftop and toast to the New Year in style.
• Molly's in Soulard
  • Get ready to party! Molly's In Soulard has one of the THE BEST New Years Eve parties in STL. They've got: 5 open bars, Two balloon drops, Champagne toasts, VIP buffets, VIP tables, and cabanas
• POP & Baileys' Chocolate Bar
  • One of the more appropriate places to ring in the new year and decade is POP, Dave and Kara Bailey’s bubbles bar and restaurant in Lafayette Square. This year, POP and Baileys’ Chocolate Bar (located upstairs) have teamed up to provide an all-inclusive celebration on December 31. The all-inclusive celebration begins at 9 p.m. Food stations include appetizers from POP and specialty desserts from Baileys’ Chocolate Bar. Tickets include beer, wine, bubbles, and cocktails, including chocolate martinis and dessert cocktails.
• Powell Symphony Hall
  • Music Director Stéphane Denève and the SLSO bring 2019 to a close at the BMO Wealth Management New Year’s Eve Celebration. Enjoy an evening of music and surprises at St. Louis’ best-kept secret. Bring family and friends together for this musical celebration you’ll remember throughout 2020.
• Tin Roof
  • Out with the old and in with a new decade. Celebrate with Tin Roof at their NYE "End of a Decade" Black and White Ball. Dress up in your best or come as you are and catch the best live music and DJ's around.
• Westport Social
  • Celebrating NYE at Westport Social means you can play like a kid while partying like an adult. For just a $25 cover, guests can play the full range of games at the Westport Plaza watering hole while also indulging in a balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight and dance to live music.
• Wheelhouse
  • Another year in the books and there’s no other holiday party like Wheelhouse NYE. And nothing is better than closing out 2019 and starting 2020 with you, your closest friends and WH doin’ what they all do best, wild out.

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• Anheuser Busch Brewery Lights
  • November 22, 2019 - December 30, 2019
  • Brewery Lights is a family-friendly event, open to all ages at no cost. Guests can attend every Friday through Sunday, from 5 to 10 p.m.
  • Join others when they Flip The Switch on November 22nd with St. Louis Blues Captain, Alex Pietrangelo.
  • Witness and experience the magic of more than a million twinkling lights during the 34th annual Brewery Lights at the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery! Guests are invited to stroll down Pestalozzi Street to marvel as the brewery is turned into a remarkable holiday experience with something for everyone, including a Kids Zone.
• Candy Cane Lane
  • December 2019
  • Every holiday season, the neighbors of this Saint Louis Hills street transform this ordinary lane into a winter wonderland that most of St. Louis knows as “Candy Cane Lane.” Hundreds of strands of Christmas Lights are strung, inflatable snowmen and Christmas trees are blown up, wreaths are hung, and even sand displays are made. Every year, hundreds of family-packed cars drive down Candy Cane Lane to see the wonderful Holiday sights.
• Disney on Ice Presents: Celebrate Memories
  • January 2-5, 2020
  • Your favorite Disney stories come to life at Disney On Ice presents Celebrate Memories, coming to Enterprise Center January 2-5! Sail along with Moana on her high-seas adventure and dance with Woody, Buzz and all the Toy Story friends. Feel inspired when love wins in Frozen and dreams come true for the Disney Princesses. Share the excitement and make new memories the whole family will treasure forever!
• First Fridays at the St. Louis Science Center
  • January 3, 2020
  • Learn the real science behind science fiction and mingle with others interested in the geekier side of life. Each month, First Friday features a different theme, hands-on activities, pub-style trivia, engaging presentations, photo opps for showing off your costume, and food and drink specials.
• Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden
  • November 23, 2019 - January 4, 2020
  • Garden Glow features a million lights surrounding visitors with a spectacle of unique installations amid some of the Garden’s most iconic locations. Enjoy interactive photo opportunities, traditional holiday music and festivities, delicious food and drinks and more as the Garden is transformed around you into a winter wonderland.
  • Santa will visit Garden Glow from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday nights from November 25 through December 17. (Note: Garden Glow is not open on Dec. 9.)
• History Made: St. Louis Blues Exhibit
  • Running until January 26, 2020
  • History was made on June 12, 2019. It’s a date that will forever live in St. Louis sports history. On that day, the St. Louis Blues hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time. On Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, the Missouri History Museum, in collaboration with the St. Louis Blues, will open History Made.
  • Featuring more than 20 artifacts on loan from the St. Louis Blues from the historic playoff run and the Stanley Cup Finals, History Made tells the story of the underdog team that took home the NHL’s highest honor and united its community in the process.
• Holiday in the Park at Six Flags
  • November 23 - January 1, 2020
  • A dazzling winter spectacular featuring more than a million glittering lights, holiday entertainment, delicious seasonal treats, visits with Santa and many of our popular theme park rides. Combine holiday traditions with a thrilling family experience that is uniquely Six Flags.
  • Six Flags St. Louis extends its season and will be open weekends and select weekdays from November 23 through January 1, 2020 for this one-of-a-kind magical event.
  • A unique mix of holiday cheer with some of your favorite coasters & thrill rides makes Holiday in the Park a family tradition like no other. Meet Santa Claus in the North Pole or jump on Mind Eraser or Roar for a mid-winter rush. Then you can roast marshmallows near a cracking wood fire before you catch one of our many holiday shows.
• Holiday Spirits Holiday Pop Up Bar
  • November 29, 2019 - January 9, 2020
  • Looking for somewhere new to get your party on this Holiday Season? For just a few weeks only, Oaked will be providing the very best in holiday-themed libations, good food, and an immersive atmosphere.
  • Housed in a historic brick building with almost 6,000 sq. feet of space (excluding the outdoor heated patio & bar), featuring 3 bars, and 2 levels of fun. Once inside, you’ll be transported to a Winter Wonderland and treated like family. Santa Claus will be on hand to spread holiday cheer and greet our guests as they arrive.
  • Oaked is located at 1031 Lynch St. St. Louis, MO 63118
• Kwanzaa: Festival of the First Fruits at the Botanical Garden
  • Kwanzaa is a Swahili term that means “first fruits,” and this contemporary African-American holiday centers around the feast table of the harvest. A Kwanzaa ceremony highlights a day of storytelling, craft and jewelry displays, and authentic African drumming and musical performances.
• The Loading Dock Ice Rink in Grafton, IL
  • November 23, 2019 - March 8, 2020
  • It’s that time of year! The Loading Dock Bar & Grill in Grafton is gearing up for the Grand Re-Opening of their Ice Skating Rink on Saturday, November 23rd. Each November The Boatworks is transformed into a Winter Wonderland offering ice skating, s’mores tables, and a full menu and bar, that is sure to entertain adults and kids alike.
  • The rink will be open Friday, Saturday, & Sunday through March 8. 2020 with extended hours during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. Special events this year include a visit from Santa and a New Years Eve party.
• Miracle Christmas Pop Up Bar
  • November 25, 2019 - December 31, 2019
  • Venue: Small Change 2800 Indiana Avenue St. Louis, MO 63118
  • Miracle is a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar that serves holiday cocktails in a festive setting. With kitschy holiday décor, professionally-developed cocktails and the nostalgic energy of the best office party you’ve ever been to, Miracle is sure to get even the grouchiest grinch in the holiday spirit.
• Polar Express Train Ride
  • November 29, 2019 - December 30, 2019
  • Guests will take a real train ride from St. Louis Union Station to the 'North Pole' and discover the magical journey of one boy's search for the real meaning of Christmas. The Train Ride departs from St. Louis Union Station for a 45-minute adventure to the North Pole. The train ride is promised to be filled with magic, songs, and cheer.
• Soulard Farmer's Market
  • Wednesday - Saturday
  • 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
  • Soulard Farmers Market is located at 730 Carroll Street in St. Louis, Missouri, a half mile north of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. The market is open Wednesday through Saturday, year round. They feature locally grown and shipped in goods, including: produce, meats, cheeses, spices, gourmet kettle corn, flowers, baked goods, and general merchandise. There are also several different eateries that have many food options, which allows customers the convenience to grab a quick bite to eat and a drink while shopping.
• Steinberg Ice Skating Rink in Forest Park
  • November 15, 2019 - March 1, 2020
  • Steinberg Skating Rink is the largest outdoor ice skating rink in the Midwest, offering public skating all day, everyday—including all holidays. Your skate admission is valid for all day. You may arrive at anytime during business hours & skate as long as you like.
• Up on the Rooftop Holiday Pop-up Cocktail Experience
  • November 29, 2019 - December 31, 2019
  • Go "Up on the Rooftop" for a whimsical holiday cocktail pop-up experience with extreme decor and delicious seasonal drinks, small plates and more. Three Sixty at the top of the Hilton at the Ballpark overlooks the downtown lights and the glowing Gateway Arch. Cozy indoor spaces and outdoor patio fire pits.
• Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo
  • November 29, 2019 - December 30, 2019
  • Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo offers a chance for you to stroll through an enchanting holiday experience.
• WinterMarkt at Urban Chestnut
  • November 30, 2019 - December 21, 2019 (Saturdays Only)
  • Usher in the holiday season with a “traditional” European WinterMarkt at Urban Chestnut’s Midtown Brewery & Biergarten. Eat, drink, and be merry with local vendors on hand for holiday shopping
• Winter Wonderland at Tilles Park
  • November 22, 2019 - January 2, 2020
  • 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
  • Enjoy a stroll through more than one million twinkling lights at Winter Wonderland. Tickets are $6, not including MetroTix fees. Pre-registration is required. Dogs on a leash, cameras, strollers and wagons are all welcome. Desserts, hot chocolate, and other beverages will be available for purchase. Also, be on the lookout for a special visitor from the North Pole until 8:45 pm!
• Winterfest at the Arch
  • November 23 - January 26, 2019 (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays)
  • A favorite St. Louis winter tradition for all ages, the fourth annual Winterfest, presented by Bank of America and World Wide Technologies returns to Kiener Plaza and features a community ice rink, a Winter Market shopping district, reserved Igloo seating with Sugarfire table service and more exciting events than ever before.

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Sporting Events This Week

• St. Louis Cardinals schedule
• St. Louis Blues schedule
• St. Louis FC schedule
• Gateway Grizzlies schedule
• Gateway Motorsports Park

Attractions Around the Area

• Anheuser-Busch Brewery
• City Museum
• Gateway Arch
• Missouri History Museum
• National Blues Museum
• St. Louis Aquarium
• St. Louis Art Museum
• St. Louis Science Center
• St. Louis Zoo

Recurring Outdoor Activities

• Big Muddy Adventures – STL Riverfront Adventure
  • Big Muddy Adventures was established in 2002. They are the first professional outfitteguiding company providing access to the wild wonders of the Middle Mississippi and Lower Missouri Rivers.
• Hidden Valley Zip Tour
  • ZipTour zip lines take about 2.5 hours to complete. Tours run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Riders are assigned to tour groups which are escorted through the course by two safety guides.
• Hidden Valley Ski Resort
  • Running until March 1, 2020
  • Always check the Snow Report before coming out to Hidden Valley for updates on snow and tubing conditions. Skiing, snowboarding, and tubing are weather-dependent activities and conditions and hours are subject to change without notice.​

Recurring Events on the Mississippi River

• Gateway Arch Events

Comedy This Week

• Funny Bone Comedy Club
• Helium Comedy Club
• The Improv Shop

Live Music This Week

• SoFar St. Louis
  • Experience the Gateway to the West with Sofar! From The Grove to Cherokee Street to The Loop, they're reimagining live events through curated, secret performances in intimate settings. Come mingle with touring acts, local and international artists, fellow music lovers and our imaginative hosts.
• St. Louis Symphony Concert Calendar
  • Celebrated as one of today's most exciting and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 140th year with the 2019/2020 season and its first with Music Director Stéphane Denève. Widely considered one of the world's finest orchestras, the SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community connections – all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.
• This calendar includes the following venues.
  • Blueberry Hill Duck Room
  • Delmar Hall
  • Halo Bar
  • The Pageant
• Other Live Music Venue Calendars
  • Atomic Cowboy
  • BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups
  • Chesterfield Amphitheater
  • Broadway Oyster Bar
  • Enterprise Center
  • The Fabulous Fox Theatre
  • Fubar
  • Game 6 Honky Tonk
  • Firebird
  • Off Broadway
  • Old Rock House
  • Sheldon Concert Hall
  • Stifel Theatre
  • St. Louis Blues Museum
  • The Ready Room
  • Venice Cafe

Below is a list I posted as reply to a tourist's query in /newzealand. I am posting this list here in case there are visitors or new Aucklanders. I realise most of us know about this.
Please be nice and kind to all.
Outdoor Activities
If the weather is good (unfortunately not according to forecast[1]), here's some outdoor activities:

• Go to the beach
• Go to the gardens (Botanic Gardens open for people to wander around but Visitor centre closed. The Domain, Parnell Rose Gardens, Cornwall Park).
• Go visit the various volcanoes in Auckland. Both Mt Victoria and Mt Eden will have beautiful views of the city. There's public transport. You will need to walk up.
  • Mt Eden (Bus is 27W or 27H)
  • Mt Victoria (Take the ferry to Devonport, walk from ferry to the top of Mt Victoria)
  • One Tree Hill (and Cornwall Park surrounding it)
  • Rangitoto Island may not be an option. Fullers timetable says they aren't sailing on Christmas Day.
  • See 6 volcanoes and never leave Auckland. CNN Travel. 27 June 2017.
  • Auckland Volcano Cones by Auckland Tourism, Wikipedia, GNS science, Science Learning Hub
• Muriwai Gannet Colony.
  • Only an option if you have your own transport and able to walk as it is about 30 mins walk from the carpark.
  • World famous in New Zealand: Gannet Colony, Muriwai. Stuff. Aug 05 2018.
  • Info by Auckland Council, NZ Birds, Wikipedia. Go to the beach too.
• Ride around in a bike (ONZO) or scooter (Lime)

[1] Weather forecasts by Metservice and Weather Watch.
Indoor Activities:

• Go to the movies.
  • Queen St + Manukau Event cinemas open on Christmas Day. https://www.eventcinemas.co.nz/
  • Hoyts Sylvia Park, Te Awa (Hamilton), Riccarton (Christchurch) and Entertainment X are open on Christmas Day
• https://snowplanet.co.nz/
• Skycity Auckland - This is a hotel with the skytower. You can go up the tower on Christmas Day. There will be restaurants open. The casino will be closed.
• Go to church - you can experience christmas day service in a number of languages in Auckland.
  • St Patrick's Cathedral (Catholic) https://www.stpatricks.org.nz/ You'll find other Auckland Catholic parishes here https://www.aucklandcatholic.org.nz/
  • Anglican Diocese - Christmas Services 2018
  • There are other denominations like Methodists, Baptists, AOG, Salvation Army, etc. Just search for them. I suspect the local visitor info centre and hotels have a list for their guests.
  • I think these lists above are services in English. I don't see the services in other languages listed there. You will be able to find services in many pacific island languages and asian languages.
  • Use google search if you are after a particular church denomination. Wikipedia list of Church organisations in NZ. Not sure how complete it is. Churches' Christmas message: Waiting for Christmas has a list of clergy,(with their affliation) signing the message at the bottom.
• Auckland Airport is open.
• Kelly Tarlton's - Opening Hours on their website doesn't say they re closed on Christmas day. Their 22 Dec facebook post ends with " We are open as usual every day over the holiday season from 9:30 AM - 5 PM. Come down to SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium and see the penguin chicks in their creche!". Thanks to spagbol for the heads up in comment below. new

Public Transport
Public transport will be on a Sunday timetable in Auckland. https://at.govt.nz/bus-train-ferry/ Bus, train and ferry Christmas holiday timetables. From 24 December 2018 to 6 January 2019, most public transport services will be operating to a Christmas/New Year holiday timetable.
Food and Drink
Go to the supermarket today (Christmas Eve) to stock up on food and essentials. No supermarket and most businesses will be closed on Christmas Day. Christmas Day is one of very few mandatory public holidays in NZ, even the casino is closed 24 hours. Only places allowed to remain open are petrol stations and restaurants.
Hospitality businesses (restaurants, cafes etc) are able to charge a public holiday surcharge if they open on public holidays. If they do so they have to state clearly (ie sign at the door, or counter or menu). This public holidays are 25 and 26 December 2018, and 1 and 2 January 2019. FYI 26 December is also known as Boxing day in NZ.
Alcohol cannot be served unless with a meal. So if something that looks like a pub is open, it is highly likely they are open to serve meals and you can order an alcoholic drink with your meal.
Restaurants open tend to be fast food places like McDs, KFC, restaurants that are part of hotels, a few ethnic restaurants and maybe a handful of others.
Some of the top restaurants shut down from either today or Monday for a few weeks, unless they are part of a hotel or one of the few known to offer a christmas day meal.

• Hotels with restaurants: The Christmas Buffet at Rydges Auckland, Christmas dining at Stamford Plaza, Christmas day at Grand Mercure Auckland, Skycity Auckland's Restaurants - you need to go to each restaurant to see what's on offer for Christmas day, Christmas Day buffet at Novotel Ellerslie, Eight at Cordis Auckland. many hotels with restaurants - I won't be listing them all. Just giving you a few so you have an idea.
  
• Denny's restaurant (American). There's a facebook message says they are open on Christmas day. Locations on website.
  
• Fast food: McDonald's, KFC, Domino's Pizza - Note at bottom of Domino's front page says 20% surcharge on Christmas Day.
  
• Going out for Christmas? Where to eat out on December 25. NZ Herald. 15 Dec, 2018.
  
• Christmas Day Party & Feast. This is out west auckland. Not sure you can easily get there on Christmas day.
  
• The restaurants open for home delivery this Christmas day. Newshub. 19/12/2018.
  

Happy New Year /Detroit! Every day people come to ask "What should I do in the city??" and this updated thread is our chance to tell them. It's been 3+ years since its been updated so a lot has changed. Keeping a similar format to the 2014 and 2011 editions comment below with any suggestion(s) and a short reason why you recommend it.
Everyone's collective picks will be added into the list below and then added to the sidebar. Closed businesses have already been removed, new Museums section now broken out, if you have any adds/deletes/edits to existing list, just shout it out, I'll leave this post as a sticky and open over the next week so all have a chance to contribute. See below:

Entertainment & Attractions

Public Spaces/Parks:

• Belle Isle Michigans most visited State Park; from Sunset Point to the Conservatory and Aquarium, many beaches there's lots to discover here.
• Eastern Market one of the largest and oldest open-air farmers markets in the country
• Campus Martius highly regarded as one of the best city parks in the country and home to many events throughout the year. Home to Detroit's Christmas tree and an ice-skating rink in the winter.
• Detroit People Mover it's not the most useful system for transit, but is actually a good way to see downtown in a quick 20-30 minutes
• Riverwalk A walkable view of Canada and Detroit River.
• Rouge Park for great outdoor times
• Chandler Park
• Historic Fort Wayne when open

Entertainment Venues:

• El Club Music venue in Mexicantown that also has amazing NY style pizza
• Marble Bar Music venue that also hosts WDET's monthly Moth storytelling
• Garden Bowl/Magic Stick Historic bowling alley, dive bar and concert venue under one roof.
• Baker's Keyboard Lounge top-notch jazz club
• PJ's Lager House live music, local beer on tap
• Theaters Detroit is home to the second largest theater district in the Fillmore, Fox Theater, Masonic Temple, Fisher Theater, Gem, Music Hall, St. Andrews, Detroit Opera House, City Theater, Majestic, Max M. Fisher Music Center

Seasonal:

• Detroit City Football Club (also see /DetroitCityFC) amazing soccer team, nationally recognized.
• Detroit Derby Girls Bouts take place at the Masonic Temple

Other:

• Detroit Film Theatre 1,200 seat auditorium located at the DIA, catch a screening.
• Cinema Detroit Movie theater located in Midtown, select indie films and new releases
• Casinos We have three! Greektown, MGM Grand and Motor City.

Museums & Exhibits

• Detroit Institute of Arts Free for Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb county residents.
• Motown Museum the birthplace of Motown music, located in New Center
• Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village Good for vistors if they have a few hours and transportation.
• MOCAD Contemporary Art Museum in an amazing raw space, always changing exhibitions and a nice little shop inside. Located on Woodward in Midtown.
• Michigan Science Center hands-on exhibits, IMAX Dome, Planetarium, mad scientists with liquid nitrogen and lightning. good for kids, located in Midtown.
• Outdoor Adventure Center located in the newly restored Globe Trading Building.
• Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History
• Tuskegee Airmen Museum
• African Bead Museum
• Dossin Great Lakes Museum located on Belle Isle
• Ford Piquette Plant historic auto production facility and birthplace of the Model T.

Retail & Shopping

• John K. King Books Downtown; Largest used bookstore in the state, located in an old glove warehouse
• Pewabic Pottery near Islandview; Detroit original, lots of original ceramic art work to view and purchase
• Third Man Records Retail store and Vinyl Manufacturing plant, owned/operated by Jack White
• City Bird Midtown; Handmade goods from local and regional designers
• People's Records Gratiot in Eastern Market; Internationally renowned treasure trove of rare vinyl, with a focus on Detroit produced stuff
• Hello Records Corktown; Newer record shop with a great collection of new and old vinyl
• Pure Detroit Downtown and New Center; Detroit themed t-shirts, magnets, etc.
• Shinola Flagship Store watches, bikes and leather goods.
• The Hub A Bicycle shop with a charitable bent and affordable bikes.
• Avenue of Fashion Located at Livernois and Outer Drive; shopping district off the beaten path
• Run Detroit Running gear store in Midtown, hosts a welcoming run club every Saturday morning at 8am
• Paramita Sound Record store in West Village

Places to eat:

• Coney Islands Lafayette or American, take your pick. Duly's Place in Mexicantown as another OG contender.
• Supino Pizzeria Eastern Market; Best NY style pizza in the city, delicious fresh ingredients
• Cass Cafe Restaurant and art gallery in Cass Corridor.
• Green Dot Stables Grab your saddle, best sliders in the city.
• Johnny Noodle King one of Detroit's ramen noodle houses
• The Bronx Midtown. Classic dive bar with an equally classic jukebox and a burger that's out of this world.
• Sweetwater Tavern Downtown, /Detroit's pick for 'Best Wings in the City'
• Buddy's Pizza Original Detroit style pizza, well regarded by foodies and chefs.
• Rock City Eatery on Woodward in Midtown. Cheap drinks and great food.
• Dutch Girl Donuts Palmer Park. Best donuts in the city, been doing it the same way forever.
• Mudgies Deli Corktown fresh sandwich shop with patio, recently expanded.
• Cadieux Cafe Jazz music throughout the week and authentic Featherbowling.
• Slow's BBQ Corktown. BBQ that put Corktown as a food destination on the map. Check out Slows-To-Go in Midtown if you're looking to skip the wait.
• The Food Exchange famous for the Big Baby burger
• Vincente's Great Cuban food. Salsa dancing. 20+ types of tequila
• Ottava Via Italian joint in Corktown. Great food, laid back atmosphere.
• Mercury Bar Good food and beer selection and the atmosphere is really cool.
• Townhouse located Downtown
• Bucharest Grill Amazing Shawarma and good prices, 3 locations around the city.
• Scotty Simpson's Northwest side for fish and chips
• Polish Village Cafe Eat your Polish Grandmother's cooking. A Hamtramck staple.
• The Whitney Restaurant in a gorgeous historic mansion. Ambience is spectacular, food has gone through down periods. Good spot for an important date night. Don't be surprised to see a marriage proposal.
• Giovanni's Arguably the best Italian food in the city. Neighborhood is what happens when you zone Heavy Industrial in Sim City, but the food, service and ambience are world-class.
• London Chop House A famous Detroit restaurant name brought back to life, it's a classic dark-wood, old-school steakhouse. Frank Sinatra and Henry Ford II had tables there. Just opened a cigar bar in the same building for after-dinner lounging.
• Roast "Iron Chef" Michael Symon's restaurant in the Westin Book Cadillac hotel. Things happen to meat here that you never thought possible.
• Joe Muer's Seafood Like the London Chop House, a classic name from Detroit restaurant history brought back to life. Located in the ground floor of the GM Renaissance Center, lunch is comprised almost entirely of GM suppliers taking their customers out to lunch, but dinner is another matter.
• Golden Fleece Greektown. "Best Gyro in town" and other greek specialties.
• Mexicantown Most authentic Mexican food in the city, can't go wrong: Los Altos, Taqueria Lupitas, Taqueria Nuestra Familia, Taqueria El Rey, or Taqueria Mi Pueblo.
• ** Takoi** Northern Thai inspired restaurant. James Beard finalist
• Selden Standard Fine dining, local, small plates. Also great brunch.
• Wright & Co Fine dining, local, small plates.
• Republic Fine dining, local, small plates.
• ima Corktown, Udon noodles.
• Flower's of Vietnam Vietnamese restaurant run by a Lebanese chef in an old Mexicantown coney. Only in Detroit.
• Polonia Restaurant Home style Polish and Eastern European food, located right next to Polish Village cafe in Hamtramck.
• Apparatus Room Fine restaurant & bar in the Detroit Foundation Hotel near Cobo Center.
• People's Bakery One of Southwest's finest local shops.

Brunch Spots

• Cliff Bells Foxtown. Bottomless mimosas and bloody Mary's and great selection of French and Soul Food inspired dishes
• Hudson Cafe Downtown. Red velvet pancakes, graham cracker-crusted French toast, and Voodoo Eggs Benedict
• Seva Midtown. great Brunch for Vegan's and Vegetarian's- Small but good beewine selection
• Brooklyn Street Local Corktown. banana pancakes with caramelized walnuts, an inevitably delicious quiche-of-the-day, and of course, the Hangover Special, and some damn good Poutine!
• La Dolce Vita North Detroit. smooth jazz, salmon hash, and the shrimp Benedict make for a fabulous brunch experience
• The Dime Store Downtown. a great selection of Omelets, Benedicts, Sandwiches, and Hash (from Executive Chef Josh, who has spent 2 decades in award winning restaraunts in Chicago, NYC, and A2) and of course, BOOZE! (Their Duck Rueben is out of this world)
• Foran's Grand Trunk Pub Downtown. Great meal options throughout the day but their brunch is great (May I recommend their Corktown sandwich or the Lobster Benedict) with a great local beer selection to boot
• Rose's Fine Foods Rivertown. Homesick for mom's cooking? This place has incredible baked goods and delicious sandwiches that make you feel right at home
• The Clique Breakfast spot on Jefferson in Rivertown area
• Honest Johns Midtown. Good all around menu, drink list and Chicken & Waffles.
• Detroit Institute of Bagels Traditional bagels plus soups & sandwiches in an airy, industrial space with counter seating.

Places to drink:

Breweries:

• Batch Brewing Co. Corktown small batch brewery with 15+ beers on tap and Louisiana-style food.
• Detroit Beer Co. Great beer as well as great food. The Hair of the Dog burger is fantastic.
• Atwater Detroit brewery near the Riverfront
• Brew Detroit Contract brewing facility with a great open space and their own brews. Across the park from Batch. The Loaded Die hosts Tuesday boardgame nights here.
• Eastern Market Brewing Company The large pink elephant mural is hard to miss.
• Founders taproom Needs no introduction
• Motor City Brewing Works Midtown; Microbrewery with delicious beer and uniquely-topped pizzas, rooftop seating in the Summer
• Jolly Pumpkin Brewery Tap room specializing in Sour Beer and Ciders

Bars:

• Motor City Wine located in Corktown.
• SugarHouse Carefully crafted cocktails in a hunting lodge sharing a wall with Slow's. Hells yea.
• Woodbridge Pub
• Cafe D'Mongo's a unique and eclectic "speakeasy." reasonably priced and strong cocktails, live music every night (Fri & Sat only)
• Cliff Bells a solid jazz club right downtown (could be under entertainment as well)
• Dakota Inn Rathskeller a German underground beer hall that transports you straight to Europe, featuring German food, music, and beer. Especially popular during Oktoberfest (mid-September to end of October).
• Jacoby's Biergarten good selection of draft beer, solid German food, and a huge international beer selection
• Jolly Ol' Timers North Cass Corridor. If they're open, you won't find a bar full of more interesting people.
• Old Miami Midtown. A Veterans bar, During the summer, the back yard is the best place to drink in the city.
• Foran's Grand Trunk Pub Downtown; great selection of local Michigan beers, with decent food to accompany it
• Northern Lights Lounge New Center bar with a great patio and decent food.
• Two Way Inn One of the oldest bars in the city
• The Skip Popular alley bar in The Belt
• Ready Player One Barcarde
• Checker BaOffworld Arcade Burger bar & Barcade near Campus Martius

Coffeeshops:

• Astro Coffee a popular cafe in Corktown
• Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Co. Chill coffee bar with beer, wine and some food.
• Socre Tea A tea shop/cafe in midtown. Tucked away on Garfield and John R. Super quiet and relaxing.
• Ashe Supply Co. Small-batch java drinks plus pastries, sandwiches and other goods just off Grand Circus Park in Downtown
• Dessert Oasis Espresso, house-roasted coffee & pastries served in a brick-walled space with artwork & live music. Good window views located Downtown in Capital Park.

Landmarks

• The Grand Lobbies of Detroit See here: http://imgur.com/a/tqC8i
• Guardian Building another beautiful example of Art Deco architecture
• Fisher Building "the worlds largest art project" and a prime example of Detroit's rich Art Deco history
• The Fist of Joe Louis Woodward/Jefferson Ave
• Ford Piquette Plant historic auto production facility and birthplace of the Model T.
• The Spirit of Detroit Woodward/Jefferson Ave.
• Hart Plaza Found along the Riverwalk; a public space that's home to Movement, Detroit Jazz Fest and other festivals throughout the year.
• Senator Palmer’s Font Hill Log House and fountain in Palmer Park (when open).

After reading a bunch of posts here and elsewhere about Yucatan and going on our trip, I wanted to give some feedback to help people's future trips.
Saturday
Flew JetBlue from New York to Cancun because we got a good deal. Flight was delayed a few hours, but we got some travel credits, which was much appreciated. The original plan was to pick up a rental car from Hertz at the airport, but due to the flight delay, they were closed when we arrived. However we reserved the car through AmEx, and they helped move the reservation to pickup the next day. So when we landed, we went straight to the hotel through a cab at the airport. We chose the official partner (maybe SuperShuttle? Forgot to document this). The ride seemed expensive for what it was, but was ultimately fine.
We wanted to stay somewhere easy to get to, efficient, clean, and downtown/not in the hotel district, and chose Suites Malecon Cancun. This was a BIG MISTAKE. When we arrived and went into our room, whoever was there previously had smoked in the bathroom and it smelled horribly. Tried to steam/air it out, but only succeeded a little bit. There were stains on the bedspread and lampshade. The air conditioner was difficult to figure out, and ultimately made the room pretty cold. But all this could have been forgiven if the room had sufficient soundproofing. My guess is that the hotel was built in a hurry, and they did a shoddy job. Even though we were on the 14th floor, with the windows closed, metal window gates closed and A/C running, we could still hear the bars across the street. Even worse, there was some kind of fun run event that started before dawn across the street that featured loudspeakers blasting music to get the runners motivated. We could also hear other guests in their rooms talking and when they dropped things on the floor. It was very frustrating not to get any sleep after the delayed flight.
Sunday
The next annoying hurdle was Hertz. Even though we reserved a car online, they said since we didn't pre-pay, they didn't have to honor the reservation for the car we wanted. All they had available was a Dodge Grand Caravan. It was much bigger than we needed, and ended up costing us more in gas than a regular car would have. But it drove nicely, and the A/C worked well.
The drive to Merida was mostly uneventful. Took the tollway most of the trip, which was fast and had no traffic. Got stopped on the Yucatan/Quintana Roo border by a federale. He let us go through without hassle (queue foreshadowing music). Stayed in Koox Art 64 Boutique Hotel in El Centro. Generally a nice place with very helpful employees and lovely pool. Room had good A/C, huge TV, cute patio, large closet, safe, comfortable/pillows, and ceiling fan. Downsides were that there was no bathroom door, not great soundproofing (birds, neighboring children), no fridge in room, and it seemed relatively easy for bugs to get in. The room was upstairs, and there was a shared kitchen and living room downstairs.
Checked out Merida en Domingo that day, which was really fun. Traditional dancing, tons of vendors and people around. Had a sopa de lima snack from one of the stands, which was kind of weak. Went for lunch to Manjar Blanco. Very tasty. Tried panuchos, papadzules, and relleno negro. Rest of the day was spent walking around, swimming and checking out thing around town.
For dinner, went to Tikin Xic on the north side of town. Food was good, cheap, and the staff was nice. Great botanas and ceviche. The namesake dish was good too. After, checked out the funk/blues jam at Dzalbay. It was decently fun.
I guess it's at this point that I'll also mention something that seems pretty obvious, and it's that Merida is HOT. Even in February, it was 90s during the day. And a lot of places don't have A/C, probably because most people are used to it.
Monday
Lots more walking around and city exploring. Had some breakfast tacos at Taqueria La Lupita. They were excellent. Amazing Cochinita and lechon. So much flavor and fantastic texture.
It's cool that Merida had kind of a heyday in the mid 1800s. Paseo de Montejo has a lot of beautiful, ornate old buildings that look like they should be an embassy or something. Checked out some of the large markets as well, at people's recommendations here. Had a hard time figuring out where the "best" places were. The hawkers were kind of aggressive and I wasn't ready for it. Ending up having some Poc Chuc, which was okay but left me wanting. Walked around some more and had some tepache and ice cream, both of which were fine but nothing special.
Walked around more, swam more to beat the heat and rested at the hotel. Had some fish tacos at El Fabuloso Pez. Nice presentation, though the place seemed pretty corporate/cookie cutter. Got a little bit sick from the food. Went to Golden Island Casino after, which was disappointing, as it was almost entirely video slots.
Took an Uber back to Centro and went to Pipiripau for a drink and it was totally dead. Then went to La Negrita. Bands were playing, people dancing, super fun scene. Had some ceviche, which was uninspiring, but didn't matter. Negrita was great.
Tuesday
Day trip to Uxmal for ruins. Walked around a bunch. Lots of tourists around obviously, but it was cool. Didn't pay for a guide or tour or anything. Just wandered. Saw some lizards get into an intense fight. Left to go to Hacienda Mucuyche for lunch and the cenote. Lunch was fine, nothing special. Had some salbutes, chips, water and other snacks. The cenote was done as part of a tour group. Kind of felt Disney-ified, but was super beautiful. Wish we had longer to swim around. Went to cenote Kankirixche after, which was also pretty, but the opposite experience. Instead of a guided tour and guides and stuff, you just gave the guy $30MX for a little laminated card. Then you give the card to the guy by the cenote and he just lets you do your thing. Very different experiences, both fun.
Got stopped again by federales getting back into Yucatan. They seemed perplexed that I didn't speak Spanish and let me go. Had reservations at Nectar for dinner, but wife got super sick either from lunch or accidentally drinking cenote water or something. Had to cancel the reservation. People at the hotel suggested Uber Eats for delivery, and figured why not. Wanted to see what the burrito was like, and ordered one from La Taque. It came on a paper tray, wrapped in plastic, which was weird, but was very tasty. And huge! No rice either, just meat and cheese wrapped up and grilled a bit.
Wednesday
Woke up for a taco brunch. Walked to Taqueria Yucatan. Good tacos! Great tortillas! Nice service even though they didn't speak any English, and my Spanish is very limited. The chaya con huevos was excellent. Checked out of hotel and drove to Wayan'e for more tacos. Loved the variety and amazing flavors. I'd read about green chorizo but never eaten it before. Really delicious. Didn't love that they charged me for 6 tacos and only gave me 5, and that the prices on the receipt didn't match the menu. But the food was great, so I wasn't complaining.
Started the drive out of Merida to El Cuyo for some beach time. Stopped by Federales, because of course. I booked with Mattias through VRBO, emailed back and forth a few times to confirm details, including within a week of our scheduled arrival, and everything seemed like it was going to be setup for a nice stay.
Got into El Cuyo, located the Hacienda, knocked on the door, and another guest let us in. They told me I should message Mattias or his assistant Magally via WhatsApp for the keys. So I messaged Magally and she told me that there were no rooms available. I sent her a photo of my confirmation, but she was not apologetic and offered no alternatives. VRBO had only one other place in El Cuyo, Cabanas El Cuyo. It was super bare bones. Wood plank room, bad lighting, sub par bed & pillows, no A/C, bad water pressure, luke warm shower. If there were neighbors, I would have heard everything the did. But Reyes, the guy running it, was nice enough. And it was right on the beach, so the breeze was great and the view was incredible.
Unfortunately, Reyes also suggested getting dinner at Loncheria La Lupita. Got some tacos, gringas and salbutes. I say unfortunately, because maybe it wasn't the cleanest place, because I got really sick from the food. Had a rough night.
Thursday
Didn't sleep much that night. Decided that it would be nicer outside than inside and rolled around on a lounger for a few hours. Had some water. Ventured into town for some pancakes at Naia Cafe. Right on cue, more Federales show up. These ones were very interested in me and my passport. Took one of the other diner's passports and didn't seem to give it back. Pancakes were mediocre. Could have used some baking soda. Hung out more on the beach. Weather was mid 80s and beautiful. Maybe only two other people within sight on the beach. Totally chill.
Originally had an idea to get dinner in Tizimin, but after seeing the roads and lack of lighting, changed plans. Got dinner that night at Chile Gordo. It's run by a nice British woman and very cute. Food is central Mexican/Veracruz in style and good. Walked around El Cuyo some more. Kids were preparing for Carnival the next week. Watched them a bit. Star gazed. Had some night beach. Cooled off at night to upper 70s.
Friday
Packed up and left El Cuyo. Drove through Yucatan. Got stopped by Federales once again. This guy kept saying there was something wrong with license plates of the rental van. Wouldn't let us go. He said we had to go to Merida for some kind of inspection and similar nonsense. We said we could not do that. Eventually he asked for a bribe. Being that we had to catch a flight, ended up paying and then leaving. He said be careful.
Filled up the van, took it back to Hertz. Still waiting to see if they charge anything extra for damage that doesn't exist. Flight home was thankfully uneventful other than that the Direct TV/movies didn't work.
So that's about it! Tried to be concise, but got long winded. If you have any questions, I can try to help.

If there is something you're aware of, that isn't on this list, mention it below. Make sure you call ahead to make sure the location in your area is participating in these offers.
It's not my fault if you go into a restaurant that isn't offering this deal, and you don't have enough money to pay your tab. Don't forget to tip your server.
The second half of this list is retail offers. There are even things to involve the families.
Food

• Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza: Active and former United States Armed Forces personnel are welcome to a complimentary small order of Meatballs with Ricotta Cheese, on Friday, November 11. Offer valid for both dine-in and to-go orders. Proper ID required.
  
• Applebee’s: Veterans and Active Duty Military can select a free meal from a limited menu for Veteran’s Day. Provide proof of service required. All current and former military personnel will also receive a $5 coupon that can be redeemed between November 12 and November 27, 2016.
  
• Back Yard Burgers: This Veterans Day, 11/11/2016, all Veterans and Active Duty Military who present their military ID or are in uniform will receive a free Back Yard Classic Burger.
  
• Baker’s Square Free Breakfast: Veterans and active duty get a complimentary breakfast on Veterans Day at participating locations. Choose between Buttermilk Pancakes, three slices of French Toast or a Belgian Waffle.
  
• Bandana’s Bar-B-Q: Veterans and active duty eat free on Friday, Nov. 11th (up to a $10 value).
  
• Bar Louie Free Lunch or Dinner: Vets and active military receive a free app or entree on Friday, November 11th.
  
• Billy Sims Barbecue: This year on Friday, November 11, veterans and active military men and women receive a free pulled pork sandwich, one regular side, and a collector’s cup.
  
• BLT Steak: 50% off for parties of two or less, 25% off for parties of three or more at BLT Steak Atlanta, Charlotte, DC, NYC, and White Plains. 25% off at BLT Steak Las Vegas. 35% discount regardless of party size at BLT Steak Waikiki. Military ID required.
  
• BJ’s Restaurant: All veterans and active military can enjoy a complimentary entree under $12.95 on Friday, 11/11/2016. Please present your military ID to receive this offer.
  
• Black Angus Steakhouse: On Veterans Day, all veterans and active duty personnel will receive a free Top Sirloin Steak Dinner, with home-style mashed potatoes,fresh broccoli with garlic butter and sweet molasses bread. Offer is good Veterans Day November 11th, 2016.
  
• Bob Evans: Bob Evans Restaurants are offering free select menu items to Veterans and Active Duty Military on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11th, 2016. In addition to the meal, Bob Evans will offer a 10% discount from November 12 – December 31 for both dine-in and carryout meals.
  
• Bonanza Steakhouse: All former and current military service men and women enjoy a free buffet (beverage not included), at all participating Bonanza Steakhouses. Contact your local Bonanza for more details.
  
• Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar: To thank a military hero for their service, simply purchase a paper “Boston Lager” glass. When military heroes stop into Boston’s Pizza the week of Nov. 14-20th., they then pick a “paper glass” off our wall and receive a free Sam Adams Boston Lager thanks to your donation.
  
• Boston Market: Free Brownie or Cookie with any purchase for all veterans, service members, and their families. No ID required.
  
• Bricktown Brewery: Free meal (up to $14) for all veterans on November 11th. They will also receive a $10 gift certificate for their next visit. This offer is available at all locations except Remington Park Race Track and Casino.
  
• Bruegger’s Bagels: All day on November 11th, veterans and active military members may enjoy a free small coffee. Offer valid at participating locations, and no purchase is necessary.
  
• Buffalo Wild Wings Free Wings: All day long on Friday, November 11, veterans and active duty military who dine at their local B-Dubs can receive a free small order of 10-12 traditional or boneless wings and a side of fries. At participating U.S. locations only.
  
• California Pizza Kitchen: On Veterans Day, all veterans or active duty military personnel will be able to select a free entree from a special Veterans Day menu including pizza, salads, and pasta. Please come in uniform or bring your military ID or other proof of service.
  
• Cantina Loredo: Veterans and active duty military can receive a complimentary meal on Veterans Day.
  
• Carlo’s Bakery: One free canoli on Veterans Day for veterans.
  
• Centraarchy Restaurants: CentraArchy Restaurants are showing their gratitude by honoring veterans and active duty military service members with a FREE entrée and 25% off entrée(s) to their accompanied family on Veterans Day. Includes California Dreaming, New York Prime, Chophouse ’47, The Tavern at Phipps, Carolina Roadhouse, Joey D’s Oak Room, Burro Loco, Gulfstream Cafe, Chophouse New Orleans.
  
• Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse: Veterans and active-duty military eat lunch for free on Veterans Day from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
  
• Chili’s Free Meal: Veterans and active-duty military receive a free meal on Veterans Day from a special Veterans Day menu. Must show proof of military service.
  
• Chipotle: Offering a buy one get one free discount for a small burrito, bowl, or salad on Veterans Day from 3pm to close. Offer is extended to all Veterans, military, and military spouses with proof of service.
  
• Cheeseburger in Paradise: Receive a complimentary Veteran’s Burger with fries to veterans, active and retired military personnel on Veterans Day. Dine in only, must purchase a beverage, and must present proof of service.
  
• Chevys Fresh Mex: On Veterans Day, Chevys Fresh Mex will offer a complimentary menu item to all active and retired military personnel. Special Veterans Day menu includes fajitas, burritos, tacos and more.
  
• Chicken Salad Chick: On Nov. 11, veterans who present proof of service in the form of ID Card will receive a Free Original Chick and regular drink.
  
• Coco’s Bakery: Coco’s is honoring all Veterans & Active Duty Military with a free slice of pie this Veterans Day.
  
• Chuck E. Cheese: This Veterans Day (11/11/2016) at Chuck E. Cheese’s, active and retired military members can enjoy a free individual 1-topping pizza with offer code 5258.
  
• City Barbeque: One free sandwich platter will be given to each veteran for either dine-in or carryout orders. At participating locations only. Veterans Day only.
  
• Claim Jumper: On Monday, November 14, 2016, veterans who show valid ID may receive a free entree from a special menu. This offer is valid for dine-in only, and will not be available at Golden Nugget Lake Charles and Golden Nugget Las Vegas locations.
  
• Cotton Patch Free Meal: Free meals to veterans of Veterans Day. Choice between a chicken fried steak or chicken fried sandwich.
  
• CraftWorks Restaurants: In honor of Veterans Day participating locations will offer a complimentary craft beer to active and retired military personnel. CraftWorks, operates the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants, Rock Bottom Restaurants & Breweries, Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom and ChopHouse & Brewery, as well as other regional restaurant brands including Big River Grille, Bluewater Grille, A1A Ale Works, Ragtime Tavern Seafood & Grill and Seven Bridge Grille & Brewery.
  
• Country Cookin: Active, reserve, and retired military personnel receive a free meal on Tuesday, November 15 from 2 PM – 8 PM.
  
• Cracker Barrel Old Country Store: Veterans receive a complimentary Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola® Cake dessert to veterans and an opportunity for guests to make purchases that support the United Service Organizations (USO). Veterans Day only.
  
• Denny’s All You Can Eat Pancakes: All active, inactive, and retired military personnel at all participating Denny’s restaurants nationwide will receive a free Build Your Own Grand Slam breakfast on Friday, Nov. 11, from 5 a.m. to noon. Diners must show ID to receive this offer.
  
• Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Veterans and active military who eat at Dickey’s on Friday, November 11th, may enjoy a free meal which includes a sandwich, side and a Big Yellow Cup, up to a $12 total value. Anyone who dines with a veteran is offered a free Big Yellow Cup with applicable purchase.
  
• Don Pablo’s Free Appetizer: Don Pablo’s is honoring all Veterans and Active Duty Military this Veterans Day with a free appetizer.
  
• Famous Dave’s: On Nov. 11, 2016 in honor of Veteran’s Day all former and current military personnel will receive a free two meat Combo.
  
• Farmer Boys: Veterans and active duty military may receive a free Big Cheese® burger on Friday, November 11. To receive offer show valid ID or proof of service. Limit 1 per guest, and not valid in the drive-thru.
  
• FATZ Cafe: All military veterans and active duty may receive a free Calabash Chicken entrée. Offer valid for lunch or dinner on Friday, November 11th, and includes a Signature Sidekick and choice of soup or salad. Please delete last years offer.
  
• Figaro’s Free Pizza: Veterans and active service members get a free medium 1 topping pizza on Nov. 11, 2016.
  
• Firebirds Wood Fired Grill: Veterans and active military may receive a free lunch or dinner entree on Friday, Nov. 11th. Valid form of ID is required, one offer per guest, tax and gratuity not included. If dining with family or friends, the free entree will be whichever is of lesser value.
  
• Fogo De Chao: Veterans and active duty personnel receive 50% off on Veterans day and 3 additional guest will receive 10% off.
  
• Friendly’s Free Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner: Friendly’s is treating veterans and active military, with a valid military ID or honorable discharge card, to a free dine-in breakfast, lunch or dinner from select menus on Veteran’s Day 11-11-2016.
  
• Furr’s Fresh Buffet: Furr’s is honoring all Veterans and Active Duty Military this Veterans Day with a free buffet.
  
• Glory Days Grill: Free appetizer or a regular order of traditional or boneless wings for veterans on Nov. 11, 2016.
  
• Golden Corral: On Monday, November 14th, 2016 from 5 PM to 9 PM, Golden Corral offers a free sit-in “thank you” dinner for Military veterans, retirees, and active duty members.
  
• Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants: Participating locations will offer a complimentary craft beer to active and retired military personnel.
  
• Granite City Food & Brewery: Lunch and a coke on GCFB for all veterans and active military members on Veterans Day.
  
• Green Mill Restaurant and Bar: Veterans and Active Duty Military will receive a free lunch or dinner dine-in meal at participating locations on Veterans Day. Must show proof of service, and beverages and gratuity are not included in free meal.
  
• The Green Turtle: Veterans and Active Duty military enjoy a free meal on Veterans Day.
  
• Grub Burger Bar: Calling all active & nonactive military – this #VeteransDay, the burger & fries are on Grub.
  
• Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream: Free single code for veterans and military personnel on Veterans Day.
  
• Hickory Tavern: 50% off of all food and non-alcoholic drinks for Veterans and Active Duty Military on Veterans day 11/11/16. This offer includes Hickory Tavern’s 24 locations in 13 communities in the southeast and a certificate for 20% off of your next meal.
  
• Hometown Buffet: Free buffet and drink for all veterans and active duty military on Veterans Day.
  
• Hooters Free Meal: Hooters invites all veterans and current servicemen and women to a Hooters Veterans Day free meal from their select Veterans Day menu by presenting a military ID or proof of service at any Hooters location across the country on 11-11-2016.
  
• Hoss’s Family Steak & Sea House Free Meal: Veterans and active duty military will have a choice between four meals and must show proof of military status. Valid I.D. is required.
  
• Houlihan’s: 11.11.16 active military and veterans receive one free entrée with purchase of an additional entrée.
  
• Hurricane Grill & Wings: All veterans and active duty military receive a free entrée and non-alcoholic beverage from their special Veterans Day menu. Choose from wings, burgers and more.
  
• Hy-Vee Free Breakfast: Hy-Vee is providing a free breakfast buffet for veterans during regular breakfast hours on Veterans Day.
  
• IHOP: On Veteran’s Day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., participating IHOP Restaurants around the nation will be honoring the brave men and women who have served, or are serving, in the United States Military by offering them free Red, White, and Blue pancakes. Select IHOP restaurants will also offer a combo of two eggs, hash browns and choice of two bacon strips or pork sausage links as part of the Red, White & Blue Pancake promotion. Promotion for retired and active duty military personnel.
  
• Ikea Free Entree: Veterans can enjoy a free entree at Ikea. Please show some form of military ID.
  
• K & W Cafeteria: Free entree with the presentation of your military ID on Veterans Day from 4 pm to closing.
  
• Krispy Kreme Free Doughnut & Coffee: On Veterans Day 2016, a free doughnut and small coffee will be given to anyone who identifies themselves as a veteran or active military personnel (no ID required).
  
• Krystal: On Veterans Day 2016, all active and retired military can receive a complimentary sausage biscuit. Lamar’s Donuts Free donut and a 12oz coffee for all veterans and active military on Veterans Day.
  
• Little Caesars Pizza: On Friday, November 11, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. veterans and active military members can receive a free $5 HOT-N-READY® Lunch Combo. Proof of service required to receive this offer.
  
• Logan’s Roadhouse: This Veterans Day veterans and active duty can come in for a free dessert at participating locations. Veterans year round receive a 10% discount to guests who present a military or veterans’ ID.
  
• Longhorn Steakhouse Free App: LongHorn Steakhouse will offer a free appetizer or dessert (no purchase required, no restrictions) to anyone showing proof of military service. In addition, guests that dine with Veterans on November 11 will receive 10% off.
  
• Marco’s Pizza: Marco’s Pizza will host free pizza parties for military veterans at local VFW posts, VA hospitals and American Legions nationwide, with certain pizza boxes containing certificates for special surprise gifts, such as much-needed wheelchair ramps, medical bill assistance or plane tickets to visit family.
  
• Max & Erma’s: On Veterans Day, participating Max & Erma’s locations are celebrating veterans and active military personnel with a free three-course combo.
  
• McCormick and Schmick’s Free Entree: Veterans and Gold Star Families can enjoy a complimentary meal at McCormick and Schmick’s on Sunday, November 6th, 2016. Bloody Mary’s or Mimosas will be available for $3.
  
• Menchie’s Free Frozen Yogurt: On Veterans Day, all Veterans and military personnel with a military ID or dressed in uniform will receive a free six-ounce frozen yogurt any time of day on Veterans Day 11.11.16. Show a valid ID or be in uniform to receive.
  
• Mimi’s Cafe: Veterans and Military receive a free entree with the purchase of any non-alcoholic drink at Mimi’s Cafe on Veteran’s Day, 11/11/16. Entrees on the Veteran’s Day menu include Grilled Chicken & Frites, Chicken Chop salad, Brioche Cheeseburger, or Farmhouse Tacos.
  
• Mission BBQ: Veterans and active duty will receive a FREE sandwich and cake (while supplies last) on Veterans Day, 11/11/2016.
  
• Native Grill & Wings: On November 11th, Veterans will receive one free menu item (up to $11.99 in value).
  
• Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub: On 11/11 from 11am – 4pm, we invite Veterans and active military to join us and receive a free lunch* from our 9 Real Size Entrées for $9.99 Menu with the purchase of any entrée.
  
• O’Charley’s: O’Charley’s will honor our military on Veterans Day 2016 by offering veterans and active duty service members a free meal at any location on November 11th. Additionally, O’Charley’s offers a 10 percent military discount all year long.
  
• Old Country Buffet: Free buffet and drink for all veterans and active duty military on 11/11/16.
  
• Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom: Participating locations will offer a complimentary craft beer to active and retired military personnel.
  
• Olive Garden Free Meal: On Veterans Day, Olive Garden restaurants will offer a free entrée from a special menu to active-duty military and military veterans. The special menu features six of Olive Garden’s most popular items. Entrées are served with unlimited homemade soup or famous house salad and warm, garlic breadsticks.
  
• On The Border: This Veterans Day, all veterans and active duty military will receive a free meal at OTB’s. The meal is from the”Create Your Own Combo menu,” which is a “choose 2” or “choose 3” menu.
  
• Outback Steakhouse: All active, retired military and veterans get a free Bloomin’ Onion® and a beverage on Veterans Day. Must have valid identification. There is also a military discount of 15% off the total check from valid for military members and their families.
  
• Panera Bread: 1 free You Pick 2 for Veterans and Active Duty members on Veterans Day at participating locations in South Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Bring proof of service.
  
• Perkins Restaurant & Bakery: Get free Magnificent Seven® meal to U.S. Military both past and present on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2016.
  
• Petro Stopping Centers: On Veterans Day, military veterans who hold a CDL can receive a complimentary meal from a select menu (including a beverage). Please show proof of service. Offer is valid Friday, November 11, 2016, at any participating Petro sit-down restaurant nationwide.
  
• Primanti Bros.: Veterans and active duty military get a free sandwich from 4 PM to close.
  
• Ponderosa Steakhouses: From 4pm-close, all former and current military service men and women enjoy a free buffet (beverage not included) from participating Ponderosa locations. Contact your local Ponderosa for more details.
  
• Red Hot & Blue Restaurants: Active Duty, Retirees and Reservists receive a free entrée with the purchase of two drinks and a second entrée of equal or greater value. Proof of military service required. Dine-in only. Print and present the coupon before ordering. Available for three days–Wednesday, November 9; Thursday, November 10; and Friday, November 11, 2016.
  
• Red Lobster: To thank Veterans, active duty military, and reservists, Red Lobster will offer a free appetizer or dessert from their select Veterans Day menu. To receive offer, show a valid military ID on November 10th and 11th.
  
• Red Robin: All Veterans and Active Duty Military get a free dine-in Red’s Tavern Double Burger and Bottomless Steak Fries on Veterans Day 11/11/2016.
  
• Rib Crib: Veterans and active military service members can choose a free meal from RibCrib’s Menu of Honor that includes a choice of two meats and two sides, including their slow-smoked meats and award-winning St. Louis spare ribs.
  
• Rock & Brews: Rock & Brews is offering all active duty military, veterans, and first responders a free pulled pork sandwich on Veteran’s Day at ANY Rock & Brews location nationwide.
  
• Rock Bottom Restaurants & Breweries: Participating locations will offer a complimentary craft beer to active and retired military personnel.
  
• Ruby Tuesday: On 11/11/2016 veterans, active duty, and reservists (with proof of service) may receive one free appetizer up to $10 in value.
  
• Ryan’s: Free buffet and drink for all veterans and active duty military on 11/11/16.
  
• Sagebrush Steakhouse: All veteran and active duty personnel receive a complimentary meal from a select menu on Friday, Nov. 11th.
  
• Sheetz: All veterans and current servicemen and women get a free 6″ turkey sub, regular fountain drink. Locations with a car wash also offer a free car wash on Veterans Day 11/11/2016.
  
• Shoney’s: Shoney’s says ‘Thank You’ to America’s heroes by offering a Shoney’s All-American Burger to all Veterans and Active Duty Military members on Veterans Day.
  
• Sizzler Free Lunch: Sizzler is proud to honor and celebrate United States veterans and active-duty military personnel with a free lunch and beverage on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, 2016.
  
• Spaghetti Warehouse: Receive a special “buy one entree, get one free” coupon offer and they are encouraging its guests to “invite a veteran to lunch or dinner.” Coupon can be redeemed from Friday, November 11 through Sunday, November 13. The coupon will be available on the Spaghetti Warehouse website on Nov. 4, and can be printed or presented by mobile phone.
  
• Starbucks: On Veterans Day 2016, active duty service members, reservists, veterans and military spouses are invited to enjoy a free Tall Brewed Coffee. In addition, now through November 11, for every Veterans Day Starbucks Card or eGift purchased, Starbucks will contribute $5 to help support programs assisting service members, military spouses and veterans.
  
• Sticky Fingers Ribhouse: On Friday, November 11 Veterans can enjoy a free pulled pork sandwich with baked beans and cole slaw.
  
• Stir Crazy: Fri. Nov. 11th, any veteran or active duty create a free chicken or steak fresh market bar.
  
• sweetFrog: sweetFrog Enterprises will provide a free 12-ounce cup of frozen yogurt to all service members with a valid military ID.
  
• TA Stopping Centers: All truck drivers who are also veterans of the United States armed services can enjoy a complimentary meal, including a beverage, on Veterans Day. At any participating TA and Petro sit-down restaurant across the U.S.
  
• Tahoe Joe’s: Free 6oz steak for all veterans and active duty military on Friday, Nov. 11th, 2016.
  
• Texas De Brazil: Monday, November 7th thru Friday, November 11th get 50% off the regular dinner pirce for veterans and active duty military plus 1 guest. 20% off for up to 6 additional guests.
  
• Texas Roadhouse Free Lunch: Select from a free special veterans lunch menu including a beverage and sides.
  
• Texas Steakhouse & Saloon: All veteran and active duty personnel receive a complimentary meal from a select menu on Friday, Nov. 11th.
  
• TGI Fridays Free Lunch: Guests who show valid military ID can enjoy a free lunch menu item up to $12. This offer is valid on Friday, November 11th, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time.
  
• Tijuana Flats: A free entree is offered to military veterans and active duty on Friday, 11-11-16.
  
• Tucanos Brazilian Grill: Free Chursasco with the purchase of a Churasco now through Veterans Day.
  
• Turkey Hill: This Veterans Day, November 11th, Turkey Hill is welcoming active, inactive, and retired military personnel to stop by for a free 16-ounce coffee or cappuccino.
  
• Twin Peaks: All Military men and women (past and present) enjoy a free menu item from their Annual Veterans Day Appreciation Menu. Present valid military ID to receive offer.
  
• Uncle Maddio’s Pizza: Veterans and active duty service members are offered one free 9-inch, three-topping pizza on Friday, November 11. Please show valid ID or proof of service, or wear your uniform.
  
• Village Inn: All who have served get a free Inn-Credible V.I.B. breakfast on Veterans Day.
  
• Wayback Burgers: All Wayback Burgers locations will offer active military personnel and veterans a free Wayback Classic Cheeseburger with the purchase of a side and drink. Additionally, Wayback Burgers locations on naval bases will be giving away free Crispy Chicken Sriracha Sandwiches to all active military personnel and veterans.
  
• White Castle: Military veterans and active duty military who show proof of service can visit a participating White Castle location on Friday, Nov 11th, and receive a free breakfast combo or castle combo meal #1-6.
  
• Wienerschnitzel: On Veterans Day, 11/11/16, Wienerschnitzel offers a free Chili Dog with a small fry and a 20-ounce drink to Veterans and Active Duty Servicemembers. Bring your military ID or dress in a uniform.
  
• Wild Wing Cafe: Military veterans, retirees, and active duty are offered a complimentary meal. Veterans may choose from any Awesome Salad, Wild Wrap, Beefy Burger or Chicken Sandwich. Please show proof of military service. Valid all day on 11.11.16 at participating locations.
  
• World of Beer: On November 11th, 2016, all veterans and current servicemen and servicewomen may enjoy a free select draught beer (where legal) or $5 off their check.
  
• Yard House: Veterans and active duty military will receive a complimentary appetizer on November 11, 2016 with valid military ID. Offer is valid for dine-in only.
  

Retail

• AARP: AARP is offering up to a 30% membership discount for veterans, their families, and anyone interested in annual or multi-year memberships and renewals.
  
• Alfred Angelo: Enjoy 30% off your bridal gown from Alfred Angelo.
  
• Amazon: Offering 20% off of select apparel on Veterans Day. Promotion code: “20veterans”
  
• American Family Care: AFC is offering military veterans free flu shots on Veterans Day, Friday, November 11.
  
• Army & Air Force Exchange Service: Get Veterans Day deals on many items, including gift items starting on Nov. 10.
  
• Army Corp of Engineers Recreation Areas: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is waiving all day use fees at more than 2,400 recreation areas nationwide. This waiver is available to all veterans, active and reserve component service members, and their families. Only verbal confirmation of service is required.
  
• Bed Bath & Beyond: U.S. Military and Veterans get 20% off Thursday, November 10th – Sunday, November 13th.
  
• Brides Across America: During the month of November Brides Across America is partnering with bridal salons across the nation to giveaway wedding dresses to qualified military brides. All military brides must pre-register online.
  
• Brooks Brothers: Nov. 8 – 11 enjoy 25% off all in store purchases to all active military personnel and veterans. Proof of military service required. Offer is valid 11/8/16 – 11/11/16 in U.S. and Canada.
  
• Cabela’s Hometown Heroes: There is a 5% discount is for Military Personnel (active and retired military, active reservists and VA recipients) plus Law-Enforcement, Firefighters and Emergency Medical Service personnel (EMS) with proof of service. Cabela’s is hosting Hometown Heroes events. Check individual store events for Veterans Day activities and possible additional discounts.
  
• Carmike Cinemas: On Veterans Day, those with a military ID will receive one free small bag of popcorn with the purchase of a movie ticket at the box office.
  
• Cunard Cruise Lines: 2-for-1 savings on launch fares and up to $250 Onboard Credit available to active and retired military veterans on Transatlantic Crossings, Caribbean, South America, South Pacific, Australia & Asia and Panama Canal voyages.
  
• Dell: This Veterans Day, former and current members save an additional 15% on select PCs and electronics.
  
• Divi Resorts: Veterans, service members and their families can combine current sales offers with the Divi 20% military discount (up to 50% off).
  
• Dollar General: 11% off total purchase in-store or online on Veterans Day for veterans and active military and their family members. Shop online with promo code AVAILABLE 11.11.16 Valid for participating locations and on qualifying purchases.
  
• Enterprise Car Sales: In honor of Veterans Day this November, all active United States military members, veterans and dependents, will have included in their used vehicle purchase from Enterprise Car Sales, a Firestone prepaid maintenance package valued at $300.
  
• FLAUNT Electric Vehicles: This Veteran’s Day, Active Duty & Veterans take an additional 20% off our normal 5% Military Discount between Nov. 10 – 12 and enjoy over $400 off all FLAUNT Electric Bicycles, in-store as well as online. Proof of military service is required. For online purchases, please call 1-(800)646-7616 for military service verification.
  
• Fred’s Pharmacy: Offer valid November 11, 2016. 15% off your entire purchase.
  
• Free Car Wash: (CALL AHEAD) ALL veterans and service personnel get a free car wash at participating locations. Every year Grace For Vets, a non-profit organization, unites the car wash industry in 4 countries (U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia) with this program.
  
• Free Oil Change: (CALL AHEAD) Oil changes are free to Veterans and active duty armed forces members at many participating local oil change centers including participating name brand oil service centers. Call stores in your local area to confirm. Many are offering the free oil change for several days around Veterans Day.
  
• Goodwill: Get 50% of all donated apparel with a valid military ID.
  
• Great Clips Free Haircut: On Veterans Day, customers who come in for a haircut at any U.S. Great Clips salon will receive a free haircut card to give to an active/inactive/retired military member of any branch, including the National Guard. Veterans can also visit any U.S. Great Clips salon on November 11 to get either a free haircut that day or to pick up a free haircut card to use later.
  
• Hair Cuttery: For every cut bought on Veterans Day, Hair Cuttery will donate a free haircut certificate to a Veteran.
  
• Home Depot: Home Depot offers a free “Build a Veterans Day Jet” workshop for children ages 5-12 to help teach them about Veterans Day. Event is from 9am-12pm while supplies last. Register online, or arrive at the allotted time, while supplies last. A 10% discount is also offered to all other military veterans.
  
• iPic Theatres: Veterans will receive one free premium ticket on 11/11 with a valid Military ID. Offer is not available online.
  
• Jefferson Lines: Free bus travel on any Jefferson Lines schedules to all active military members and veterans in honor of Veteran’s Day on November 11, 2016.
  
• JC Penney: All current and former military personnel can enjoy discounts off purchases on Veterans Day.
  
• Jockey: Jockey is offering 25% off to active military, veterans and their families. Enter promo code MILITARY at checkout. Good thru 11/11/14.
  
• Lowes Home Improvement: Lowes honors all Veterans on three specific holidays: Memorial Day, 4th of July and Veterans Day. During these three holiday weekends, Lowes extends the discount to all veterans who served honorably and who present a valid Form DD214 or other proof of service.
  
• Main Event Bowling: Active or retired veterans can bowl free from open to 3pm on Friday, November 11th.
  
• Meineke Free Oil Change: This Veterans Day, November 11, 2016, all veterans and active duty will receive a free Basic Oil Change* at participating Meineke locations.
  
• Orangetheory Fitness: Free workouts for veterans on Veterans Day 2016, including up to two classes.
  
• Publix: Active and retired military personnel and family members receive a 10 percent discount on Veteran’s Day. Proof of service required.
  
• Rack Room Shoes: Military personnel and dependents get 10% off their entire purchase on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and 4th of July.
  
• Red Roof Inn 15% Off All November: Veterans receive 15% off from January 19th to March 31st, 2017. Use VP Code 606732 when booking to receive the discount!. Don’t forget, Red Roof Inn is military and government friendly all year long, offering 10% off at locations nationwide. Who is eligible?: Active Duty, Veterans, Retirees, Reservists, Dependents.
  
• Runnings: Active duty military and retirees will receive a 10 percent discount on Veterans Day, November 11th at all Runnings locations.
  
• Seaworld Parks & Entertainment Veterans Discount: Veterans and Active Duty military receive location-based discounts or free admission. Veterans promotion includes SeaWorld Orlando, SeaWorld San Antonio, SeaWorld San Diego, Busch Gardens Tampa, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and Sesame Place Langhorne. The program does not include Discovery Cove® in Orlando or Aquatica, SeaWorld’s WaterparkTM. Active Duty military members who already used their free admission for the year can also get 50% off tickets.
  
• Sleep Number: Sleep Number is providing exclusive offers for current and past military personnel. Save $500-$700 on selected Sleep Number® mattress sets, or 20% – 30% off for other select sets, depending on the designated discount per product.
  
• Sports Clips Free Haircut: Many Sport Clips locations will offer free haircuts to active-duty U.S. service members and veterans on Veterans Day, Friday, November 11, 2016, with valid proof of service.
  
• Sword & Plough: All U.S. active duty military personnel, National Guard members, Reservists, veterans and Gold Star Spouses receive a 20% discount on all orders.
  
• Tractor Supply Co: This Veterans Day, customers with a valid military ID or proof of service will receive 15 percent off their entire purchase at Tractor Supply.
  
• TOPS Market: This Veterans Day, Friday, November 11, TOPS will honor an 11% discount off of a total order to all veterans and active military personnel who shop at any of their locations.
  
• UFC GYM: UFC GYM is offering free total gym access to all veterans and active duty military as well as their families from November 11-13 at participating UFC GYMs.
  
• Under Armour: Get 15% off & free shipping online. Offer valid for Military, Veterans & First Responders.
  
• US National Park Service: The U.S. National Park Service is waiving fees at most of its day-use recreation sites over the Veterans Day holiday weekend. Google to find a national forest or grassland near you.
  
• Walgreens: Offering a 20% discount to all Veterans, Active duty military, and their immediate families, on Veterans Day 2016. Must present a Walgreens Rewards card and valid Military ID or proof of service to receive discount on eligible items.
  
• Western Union: Western Union is offering consumers the opportunity to make U.S. domestic money transfers — and transfers to and from U.S. military bases around the world where Western Union has a retail Agent location — for zero fee on Veterans Day using promo code HERO.
  
• Westgate Resorts: Westgate Resorts is giving away 1,000 free vacations on Veterans Day. The first 1,000 eligible service members who complete the online military appreciation form and place a fully refundable $75 deposit will receive a complimentary three-day, two-night vacation for up to four people at Westgate Town Center Resort from May 5-7, 2017.