#SafeTravels: Global Protocols & Stamp for the New Normal
How To Discover Weird And Cool Places Near You
You might think there's nothing interesting where you live. You're probably wrong. Every place on Earth has an interesting story to tell—the hard part is finding them.
There are all kinds of apps and websites that recommend activities to tourists, and there's a good chance that your town hosts at least some tourists. Why not, then, use some of these tools to discover stuff to do right where you live? Here are a few such tools you can try out right now to find interesting and/or fun things to do where you live.
Whats-near.MeThe website whats-near.Me shows you places nearby that have their own Wikipedia article. To get started head to whats-near.Me in your browser on a computer or mobile device. Click or tap the "Share location" button. Just like that you will see the area around you complete with every nearby place with its own Wikipedia article. This is a great way to discover nearby parks, schools, and even notable businesses. It also highlights any historic events, including battles, that happened nearby, along with historically significant buildings or ruins.
Screenshot: Whats-near.Me I explored the rural areas north of where I live using this site and found a castle until recently owned by a adult film star, a cool looking wooden rail trestle from the early 1900's, and a fur trading outpost built in 1834. I had no idea any of this existed. There are almost certainly things close to you that are just as, if not more, interesting near you. There's also a link to the Wikipedia article, allowing you to read more about whatever it is that you just discovered. Like I said: I found a few pretty interesting things near my house. I also check out. And Wikipedia's community-oriented structure, which is relatively resistant to marketing pressure, means the results aren't full of spam.
Atlas ObscuraAtlas Obscura is one of the best blogs still standing. The site publishes articles every day about odd places you can find in every corner of the planet. It also offers a map pointing the location of every single subject they've ever covered, complete with a "near me" button. Click that and you'll see various odd structures near where you are.
Screenshot: Atlas Obscura Click anything on the maps to see more photos and read well-written articles outlining what makes a given place so interesting. I personally discovered The Witch's Castle this way after moving to the Portland area. It's basically just a ruined 1900's park ranger station, in the middle of a large park. It's full of graffiti and I love it. There's got to be something this interesting near you.
TripAdvisorHere's another site regularly used by tourists that you can use too. Head to the home page, click the search bar, and click the "Near me" button to share your location. You will see all the things TripAdvisor recommends to people visiting your city.
Screenshot: TripAdvisor The list of restaurants, which pops up first, will probably be familiar (but be sure to check out anything that isn't!) The interesting thing for me is the "Things to Do" button at the top of the screen. You'll see the kinds of activities that tourists enjoy in your town. I discovered a farm owned by former reality TV stars and a massive pinball museum this way.
Google MapsThis might seem a bit obvious, granted—everyone knows you can find things on Google Maps. But I tend to only use the "Things to do" button when I'm traveling. Turns out it also works at home! Just head to Google Maps, tap the button. As with TripAdvisor it's a great way to find out about things that are recommended to tourists that locals might not notice.
Screenshot: Google Maps I tried this out on the coast to the west of where I live and I found an aquarium I didn't realize existed and a weird tree I want to check out next time I'm out that way. I bet the rural areas near your town have something just as good.
24-Hour Stores Near Me: 40 Places Open Right Now
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Here's something else that the pandemic gets the blame for impacting: the number of stores, restaurants and gas stations in the United States that are open 24 hours a day.
See: This Credit Score Mistake Could Be Costing Millions Of Americans
Remember back to spring of 2020, when stores deemed to be essential to purchase things such as food and medicine stayed open, but with vastly reduced hours? Walmart shifted from stores open 24/7 to limited hours, opening each morning and shutting the doors around the bedtime of most people. Other grocery and convenience stores followed suit, and that left essential workers with odd hours who once shopped in the middle of the night to juggle how they purchased goods.
And not all retailers have snapped back to their old hours, considering both the ongoing health concerns and a worker shortage. Still, in your area, you probably can find at least a few locations open 24/7 to meet your needs.
24-Hour Stores Near MeFrom restaurants to gas stations, chances are there's something open near you. The easiest way to find it is Google Maps.
The Beginning of 24/7 HoursThe innovator of the 24-hour-a-day store is 7-Eleven, which traces its roots to the Southland Ice Company, which sold ice from docks in Dallas and San Antonio in the late 1920s. The ice retail stores later began staying open longer hours and selling grocery goods. In 1946, the growing chain of stores came to be called 7-Eleven to mirror their operating hours: 7 a.M. To 11 p.M. Daily.
In 1963, a 7-Eleven store near an Austin, Texas, university began to stay open all night for student shoppers. It was such a success that other stores in the chain adopted the 24/7 hours, and other companies eventually followed suit.
Today, most 7-Elevens are open 24 hours a day, according to the company.
No Quick ReturnWalmart was among the stores to expand its hours to following 7-Eleven's lead eventually, keeping some of its stores open all night. And it was among the first to adjust its hours of operation across the country after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic.
In mid-March 2020, Walmart changed its operating hours to 7 a.M. To 8:30 p.M. At any store than operated outside those parameters. That changed allowed Walmart employees to restock the shelves, as well as to clean and sanitize the stores for employee and customer safety.
Walmart has yet to resume 24-hour operations, and in August 2022, the nation's largest retailer had to dispel an internet rumor that its old hours were coming back.
"There are no plans at this time to return our Walmart stores to 24-hour-a-day operations," Walmart spokesperson Charles Crowson told USA Today via email on Aug. 11.
Just two weeks earlier, Walmart had tweeted the same message.
Challenges for 24/7 OperationsThe Denny's restaurant chain used to be known for never locking its doors, but the pandemic changed that. As of January, only 50% of Denny's 640 restaurants in the United States were open full-time, Restaurant Business reported. At that point, about 2% of the company's restaurants were reopening per month.
"I would like to say that we could move beyond this 2% trend that we've experienced for the last six to eight months, but it's just probably too early to quote that," Denny's CFO Robert Verostek told analysts in February, per Restaurant Business.
A big part of the reopening challenge came with finding staffing. The restaurants that had limited hours only had 80% of their pre-pandemic numbers, Restaurant Business reported.
24/7 NeedsWho are the people who shop or dine or buy gas in the middle of the night? It could be any of us.
Night-shift workers who leave work at 4 a.M. And need to stop to buy peanut butter, jelly and bread for the kids' lunch, or enough gas to get home. Moms or dads who realize they've run out of diapers. You have an illness requiring over-the-counter medications. Travelers who want breakfast before hitting the road early in the morning.
With a world constantly on the go, and minor emergencies that are bound to happen, we all at one time or another need access to a good or service after regular hours.
Stores Near MeSo you ask yourself, "What Stores Are Open Near Me?" Answering that isn't as easy as it was just a few years ago. Of the 40 supermarkets, drugstores, convenience stores, restaurants and gas stations listed, not every location is open 24 hours.
Grocery Stores Open 24 HoursCub: The Minnesota-based grocery chain has some locations open 24 hours.
Giant Eagle: With about 230 grocery locations in Indiana, Ohio, western Pennsylvania, north central West Virginia and Maryland, this grocery store keeps some stores open 24 hours.
WinCo Foods: Most WinCo Foods locations are open 24 hours. You'll find WinCo in the Pacific Northwest, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Texas and Oklahoma.
Woodman's Market: The grocery chain has 19 locations in Illinois and Wisconsin. Some are open 24 hours.
Convenience Stores and Gas Stations Open 24 HoursAt least two dozen convenience store chains across the country can fulfill the fuel and food needs of everyone from travelers to night-shift workers. Not every location in every chain is open 24 hours a day.
BP: There are about 7,000 BP locations in the eastern half of the country, plus Southern California.
Casey's: The Iowa-based chain has more 2,400 stores in 16 states in the Midwest and South.
Chevron/Texaco: Chevron products are sold in more than 8,000 Chevron and Texaco stations coast to coast.
Circle K: Circle K boasts roughly 7,000 convenience stores in 47 states.
Conoco: Conoco operates nationwide.
Cumberland Farms: This Northeast-based convenience store has about 500 locations in eight states.
Exxon Mobil: The industry giant has more than 10,000 fuel stations across the United States.
GetGo: Part of the Giant Eagle chain, GetGo has 178 fuel and convenience stores in Indiana, Ohio, western Pennsylvania, north central West Virginia and Maryland.
Huck's Market: Food and fuel both are available at Huck's Market, which has more than 120 convenience stores in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee.
Kum & Go: Stop into Kum & Go's 430 stores, spread across the country — many of them open 24 hours — for gas or dinner. On Friday, pizza is buy one, get one free for rewards members.
Kwik Trip/Kwik Star: The convenience store/fuel stop has more than 800 stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
Love's Travel Stops: Love's has about 600 travel center stores in 42 states that sell gas, diesel and compressed natural gas, along with snacks, restaurant offerings and more.
Marathon: The Ohio-based company has about 6,000 stations and convenience stores in the U.S., with most of them in the Midwest.
Phillips 66: You'll find Phillips 66 stations in more than 20 states.
Pilot Flying J: The company says is North America's largest operator of travel centers, with more than 750 in 44 states and six provinces in Canada. It offers food and fuel, but also showers and parking to those who make their living on the road.
7-Eleven: Almost all of the 14,000 7-Eleven stores are open 24 hours.
Sheetz: Fill up at family-owned and operated Sheetz, then go inside to grab a special-order sandwich or salad. Forbes reports that Sheetz has more than 630 convenience stores in six states: Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
Sinclair Oil: More than 1,600 independent Sinclair-branded stations are spread across 30 states.
Speedway: Speedway has about 3,900 stores in 39 states, making it the second-largest company-owned and operated convenience store chain in the U.S.
Sunoco: The company has more than 5,200 stations across the country.
Thorntons: Thorntons has more than 200 travel centers in six states: Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee.
Turkey Hill Minit Markets: You can find Turkey Hill Minit Markets in more than 270 locations in in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Valero: Valero supplies gas to more than 7,000 stations and convenience stores.
Wawa: You'll find Wawa stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C.
Pharmacies Open 24 HoursAccording to Statista, the 10 largest drugstore chains by sales volume have about 37,500 locations across the country — and that doesn't count all of the independent pharmacies. You never know when you'll need a 24-hour drugstore for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, baby needs and more.
These stores have some locations open 24 hours, but most of the stores in each chain have more traditional hours.
CVS: Statista reports that CVS has about 10,000 pharmacies in the U.S.
Rite-Aid: Rite Aid has more than 2,450 pharmacies across 19 states.
Walgreens: The chain operates in all 50 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens has about 9,000 locations.
Restaurants Open 24 HoursA 24-hour restaurant certainly helps you handle your hunger when you're just getting off work, on your way to the early shift, cramming for a test or traveling cross-country. What are some chains that offer 24-hour-a-day service? Remember that, unless otherwise noted, not every restaurant location is open all the time.
Carl's Jr.: West Coast burger chain Carl's Jr. Has more than 1,000 locations in the United States. Some are open all day.
Denny's: The pandemic forced many Denny's to reduce their 24-hour-a-day staffing. Slowly, they are extending their hours to 24/7, Restaurant Business reported.
Dunkin': The familiar hot pink and orange signage of Dunkin' graces 8,500 locations across 41 states. Some of them never close.
Jack in the Box: If you've got a craving for a Sourdough Jack in the middle of the night, Jack in the Box has some locations with a 24/7 drive-thru. As of last year, the chain had more than 2,200 restaurants in 21 states and Guam, with an aggressive plan to expand, QSR magazine reported.
IHOP: Pancake craving at 2 a.M.? IHOP has about 1,650 locations in the United States, according to Statista. Some of them stay open 24 hours a day.
McDonald's: According to USA Today, McDonald's has about 13,500 restaurants and is located in all 50 states. Chances are there is a 24-hour store near you.
Starbucks: Need a pick-me-up to get through the night shift? Many Starbucks locations are open 24/7. Starbucks has 34,000 shops around the world.
Waffle House: Founded in 1955 with a single location in Avondale Estates, Georgia, Waffle House now has more than 1,900 locations in 25 states, all open 24 hours a day, every day, according to the restaurant's website.
Whataburger: How good does a Whataburger Patty Melt sound right now? The chain has about 800 restaurants — many of them with at least 24/7 drive-thru service — in 14 states.
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.
Hours are subject to change and may vary by branch. Information is accurate as of Sept. 27, 2022.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.Com: 24-Hour Stores Near Me: 40 Places Open Right Now
Cashier's Check Near Me: 30 Places To Getting A Cashier's Check Nearby
A cashier's check is a check that's guaranteed by a bank instead of your personal account balance. Since the bank guarantees the funds, people commonly use cashier's checks for large transactions like paying a security deposit for a new apartment, buying a car or making a down payment on a house.
If you've been searching for, "Where to get a cashier's check near me," follow this guide to find 30 institutions that offer them and learn other details you should know before getting one.
Where Can I Get a Cashier's Check?If you have a checking account or savings account, you can get a cashier's check at a local branch from a major bank or credit union. You may also request a cashier's check online if your bank allows. If you don't have an account at a financial institution, you might still be able to get a cashier's check by opening a new account with the necessary funds and paying a cashier's check fee.
Note that cashier's checks are only available from financial institutions, unlike money orders, which you can purchase at gas stations, convenience stores and post offices.
How To Get a Cashier's CheckYou typically need to have an existing account with the institution where you wish to purchase a cashier's check. You also need the following:
Personal identification: Driver's license or passport and bank account number or ATM card
Payment: Sufficient funds in your existing account at the financial institution or funds to open a new account
Check recipient information: The person or company the bank should make the check payable to
Money for the fee: Payment for the cashier's check fee as set by your bank
Memo information: Optional, just as with a personal check
Here are 30 banks and credit unions that offer cashier's checks as well as the fee each institution charges for this service:
Chase Bank: $0 fee for Premier Plus and Sapphire Checking accounts, $10 for Total Checking and student checking accounts
Bank of America: $15 fee
Citi®: $10 fee; for more details, see website for details for Citi Priority and Citigold account holders
Wells Fargo: $10 fee
U.S. Bank: $10 fee
Truist Bank: $10 fee
PNC Bank: $10 to $15
Capital One: $10 fee
TD Bank: $8 fee
Ally Bank: $0
Axos Bank: $0
BBVA: $10 fee
Citizens Bank & Trust: Fee of 1% of the amount ($5 minimum, $12 maximum)
HSBC: $0 fee
Fifth Third Bank: $10 fee
Fidelity: $5 fee
KeyBank: $8 fee
Union Bank: $3 fee
USAA: $10 fee
Woodforest National Bank: $0 or $10 fee, depending on account type
Alliant Credit Union: $0 fee
Navy Federal Credit Union: $5 fee
BECU: $5 fee
PenFed Credit Union: $0 fee
Tucson Federal Credit Union: $3 fee
Chartway Federal Credit Union: $0 fee
Regions Bank: $0 fee
Santander Bank: $10 fee
Huntington Bank: $6 fee
Comerica Bank: $10 fee
You can only get a cashier's check from a financial institution such as a bank or credit union. If you don't want to use a bank or credit union, then you need to look into alternative ways to provide your recipient with guaranteed funds. That could mean buying a money order or transferring the recipient's funds through an app like Zelle.
How To Get a Cashier's Check Without a Bank AccountNot all banks require you to have a deposit account to issue a cashier's check. For example, Huntington Bank will issue cashier's checks to non-account holders as long as they have insurance, a safe deposit box or a credit card with the bank.
If you don't have a bank account and don't want to open one, call different banks and credit unions in your area to see if any will issue a cashier's check to non-account holders. If you find one, be prepared to pay for the cashier's check with cash.
Alternatives to a Cashier's CheckIf you are unable to obtain a cashier's check, here are some alternative forms of payment to consider.
Certified ChecksA certified check is a personal check that's certified by your bank and drawn on your personal funds. During the certification process, the bank verifies the check, your signature and the availability of funds, which makes it a more secure form of payment than a regular personal check. There may be a fee for certified checks, depending on the bank you use.
Money OrdersMoney orders are similar to cashier's checks in that they're written by the issuer and are guaranteed. However, they are more widely available and cheaper.
You can find money orders at the post office, grocery store, convenience store and other places like Western Union and Walmart. Money orders typically cost between $2 to $3 but can only be issued for up to $1,000.
Wire TransfersWire transfers are a way to move money quickly, either nationally or internationally. You can make a wire transfer using your bank or a service like Western Union. Within the U.S., funds may be available within a few hours or one business day. However, be prepared to pay a fee of $15 to $50.
Money Transfer AppsApps like Apple, PayPal, Zelle and Venmo are ways to make digital payments — sometimes instantly. Fees can occur, however, so be sure to check before sending a large amount. Additionally, money transfer apps do have limits on how much you can transfer, so if you're planning to make a large payment, verify the limit first.
Cashier's Check ScamsThe Federal Trade Commission has issued many warnings to consumers about cashier's check scams. Here are three common types of scams:
Overpayment scam: Someone buys something from you online and then "accidentally" overpays for it with a cashier's check and asks you to refund the difference.
Secret shopper scam: You are "hired" to evaluate the customer service at a money transfer service and given a cashier's check. You are told to deposit the check at your bank, withdraw the amount in cash, and send it to a person in a foreign city. By the time the forgery is discovered, the money is long gone.
Pay for prize scam: An official-looking notice comes in the mail, saying you won a fabulous prize but must pay taxes, shipping and handling, or processing fees. You might also receive a cashier's check to deposit with instructions to wire a portion of the money back.
As a general rule of thumb, you should typically only need a cashier's check when you want to make a large purchase and the recipient requires this form of guaranteed payment. If anyone asks you for a cashier's check unexpectedly, that's a warning sign that you may be the target of a scam.
What If You Lose a Cashier's Check?Cashier's checks come out of your account immediately after issuance. This means you go on to lose the check, you've essentially lost that amount of cash from your bank account.
However, there is a solution. Banks will often issue a new check without pulling the same amount of funds from your account if you first purchase an insurance policy called an indemnity bond. This protects the bank.
If anyone finds the lost check and presents it for payment, you'll be on the hook for its total balance and the total balance of the reissued cashier's check. This is why it's important to watch over cashier's checks carefully to avoid the issues that can arise when you lose them.
Final Take: Where To Get a Cashier's Check Near YouThe best place to get a cashier's check in your area is at your local bank or credit union branch where you already have an active checking, savings account. If that's not an option, consider calling banks in your area to see if any will sell you a cashier's check for cash or some other type of collateral.
Looking for more ways to grow your money? You might also want to look at banks that offer great CD rates.
FAQWhere do you get a cashier's check from?
You can get a cashier's check from a bank or credit union that you have an existing account with. A minority of institutions will print cashier's checks for non-account-holders but may require that you have a credit card, safety box or insurance policy with the bank.
How much do cashier's checks cost?
Does Walmart make cashier's checks?
No, Walmart is not a bank or credit union, so it doesn't issue cashier's checks. However, Walmart MoneyCenters can help you send funds in other ways, such as through money orders and money transfers. Some branches also have Western Union locations inside their money centers.
Do banks still offer cashier's checks?
Which bank will give me a cashier's check?
The vast majority of banks and credit unions offer cashier's checks, but you typically need to go through the institution where you have an account to get one. If you don't have a bank account, you may still be able to get a cashier's check at places that accept other forms of collateral, such as credit cards, safety deposit boxes and insurance policies.
Melanie Grafil and Kellan Jansen contributed to the reporting for this article.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.Com: Cashier's Check Near Me: 30 Places To Getting a Cashier's Check Nearby
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