Hometown Wanderlust is an adventurous, weekly blog featuring one girl’s experiences with food, music, shopping, history, art and life in general around Dublin GA. This week, Dublin GA’s favorite redhead experiences a new fad, Pokemon GO paired with familiar local landmarks.
Friday night. Kids are restless. Time to explore Dublin GA with Pokemon GO!
I’m not much on video games or card games. Pretty terrible at them actually. I don’t get it. I find myself restless, toes tapping, fingers twisted up. Can’t keep straight what cards mean. Trading, swapping, wrong button…Not fast enough, too fast. Ugh. This one though, has caught my interest…
Game
Now, don’t quote me on any of this, I still don’t really know how to play Pokemon Go but I’ve figured out the gist. You walk around and actually search out locations to find and capture wild Pokemons using an app on your cellphone. Pokestops where you gather Pokeballs and other items are located at (hallelujah! cue the chorus!) public art installations, historical markers, monuments, and other local treasures.
GO
First stop: A scrumptious pizza from Deano’s powers us up for our explorations and gets the excitement pulsing. To the kids’ delight and mine, there are Pokemon all over the restaurant. They are safely captured and we are on our way to the main hunt!
Within minutes, we are downtown, parked, and ready to hunt. While the kids are excited about the prospects of capturing these wily little creatures, I’m excited to share an adventure downtown searching out curious little corners.
Each street corner imparts a lesson in patience and sharing. The crosswalk buttons are so enthralling! As we crisscross the main streets, we also look both ways and repeat, in the process discovering beautiful murals and historic buildings sitting majestically against the backdrop of the indigo summer sky. Eyes light up when they learn the Old Post Office building entrance is actually a revolving door “just like in the movies.”
A stop at Railroad Park brought oooh’s and ahhh’s while checking over the old boxcar and bright red caboose.
The gurgling fountain in Founder’s Park caught our attention and immediately the cushy grass demanded bare feet to which we immediately obliged.
We pop in for a much needed break at Company Supply with the kids are eager to share stories of their “captures” with the waitstaff who patiently listen as it’s certainly the first such stories they’ve heard in recent days.
The hours have passed swiftly, full of laughs, exercise and fresh air, some tussles over electronics, but most importantly a clearer understanding for all of us of some really interesting, historic and even (gasp) “really cool” landmarks in our charming hometown.
I first found out about Pokemon GO when it was brought to my attention by a couple players that we are a Poke Stop at the Visitor’s Center! Come see us at exit 51 off I-16, 102 Travel Center Boulevard in Dublin,GA!
