State laws

[davestlouis]

One thing I have heard, is that the "Gentleman's" clubs across the river from St Louis stay open until 6AM...not that I have availed myself of such naughty pleasures in MANY years. When the entertainers are younger than my daughters, it's no fun anymore.

 

[get_atomized]

I recommend Canada rather than the US for some of those items, what can I say.

 

[DutchIndo]

If it's fun and cool it's probabaly illegal in California. Like I tell my buddies here if it's Flat Black and Cool it banned here.

 

[Big Man]

Sounds like you need to head to the South and go to a good, old-fashioned honky-tonk. What goes on there may be "illegal", but that's never stopped the fun. :cheers1:

(Note to Atticus Finch - Pay no attention to these comments).

 

[KittyT]

It is not a criminal offense in Massachusetts to smoke or possess marijuana. Possession of less than one ounce of marijuana is a mere civil offense carrying a fine of $100. The police forces of many towns will not bother to ticket people, as they think it's a waste of their time.

 

[KittyT]

here is a breakdown of liquor laws for each state. I believe Louisana has some of the most lax laws, if you plan on going to New Orleans.

Louisiana also has no open container laws. Consequently, they also have one of the highest death rates from drunk driving.

 

[Hugh Beaumont]

I lived in Las Vegas for two years and despite their myth of everything goes, they do have laws.

For instance, it is illegal to carry and consume alcohol on the streets. The police just look the other way most of the time, but some still get ticketed, depending on how obnoxious they are and the mood of the police that night.

 

[MPicciotto]

I see mentioned liquor sale laws varying state to state such as beer and wine in grocery stores but not hard liquor etc. Living in Maryland I'm spoiled in that the liquor store has it ALL. Some grocery stores have wine. But I can get ANY alcohol I want at the liquor store. Now I make a trip to Pennsylvania for the WW2 weekend in Reading.... I can't stand PA liquor laws. But I've also seen it vary county to county too. With one county requiring purchases of liquor at the ABC store, beer in the grocery store. Then the next county north will have drive through liquor stores!

Matt

 

[kiltie]

I can't stand PA liquor laws. But I've also seen it vary county to county too. With one county requiring purchases of liquor at the ABC store, beer in the grocery store. Then the next county north will have drive through liquor stores!

Matt

I always thought of this as more of a Southern thing, but yeah, Texas can be nerve wracking with it's dry counties - especially up around Dallas. You have to join a club ( ?!? ), which is free, to drink booze in the dry counties. I forget how it works, exactly. Anyone from Dallas...?
Here in San Antonio, you can still smoke in most bars ( something to do with what the percentage of your sale of food is - whether it's a bar or a restaurant ), and last call is two a.m. I remember when I found out it's mostly four a.m. north of the Mason/Dixon - PHEW!!! That was a long night in Chicago!

I do know this though:
If you shoot a man in Reno ( just to watch him die ), you will be stuck in Folsom Prison.

 

[MPicciotto]

Well true the county to county variety is a southern thing. I just found the PA laws to be designed to make drinking so frustrating that you give it up! Say you want to buy a few different flavors of Mike's Hard Lemonade/Iced Tea etc. etc. You can't buy that in liquor stores, they only have liquor and wine. You can buy six-packs in bars, but only two at any given time. The beer distributor only sells case quantities, and the cases don't come mixed. In at least some MD stores you can pick up empty six-pack cardboard and fill up with a "sampler" and if they are all the same price (say all Mike's products priced the same) you can get them at the six-pack price.

Matt

 

[Foofoogal]

I live in Arkansas in a dry county as well.
http://sandysfancypants.blogspot.com/

 

[davestlouis]

My inlaws live in Fairfield Bay Arkansas, and my wife stocks up before she goes to visit...she'd hate to run out of rum.

In Ohio, there were state liquor stores, may still be for all I know. Regular stores only sold 40-proof liquor...they used to have laws about 3.2% beer too, but I don't remember what those laws were, specifically.

 

[Lone_Ranger]

Platten,

First of all, welcome to the Forum!

Check your PM's, I sent you a link to a police forum, where they can answer your question, but they would have to know what states & cities you are trying to visit.

Your "home" is quite nice, as I recall. I been to Germany twice, and seem to always end up in Bavaria. I was in Nuremberg, and Reagansburg, for the Christmas Markets on the last trip.

Speaking of which. There is a large German population, in Chicago. They do their own German style Christmas Market, even to the point of flying in the girl, that was last years "Christmas Angel," to open the festivities.

 

[donCarlos]

Regarding all I´ve read above... How can you people live there??? Even prohibition sounds good compared to some of the laws. Once again, I´m very glad that I was born where I was born.

btw, I´ve been to Sweden last week and I loved their alcohol control system. And as far as I know, guns are more regulated, but still available here. You can get your permission within a week, if you hurry.

Sorry for this effusion

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I'd rather drink at home, no bar can compete with what I keep in my liquor cabinet.

One can get any type of liquor they want if they are resourceful, collecting absinthe for ten years taught me that.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

If it's Smoking you want...

... head for the casinos. At least that's true for Iowa casinos and the Indian casinos in California.

They have lots of clout here because they bring in so much state revenue that the legislature decided to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, but not casinos.

I walk in to Prairie Meadows just outside Des Moines and almost choke on the smoke.

As for Indian casinos, they are on sovereign tribal nations that are allowed to make their own rules, to a degree. Most I know have smoking, some have drinking.

And I think most all casinos are open all night.

karol

 

[Barchetta52]

Wet/Dry?

Kiltie, the city of Dallas is wet but there are other cities in the county that are dry. (Can't think which ones) Yeah, it's a mess. Garland is wet, and so is Rowlett which straddles Dallas and Rockwall counties. Don't get me started on paying taxes to 2 counties!

Platten, as for smoking in bars, GET HERE QUICKLY WHILE IT' STILL LEGAL IN MOST PLACES! The anti-smoking zeaots are taking over. I was born in 1952 and up until the late 1970's or so everybody smoked everywhere. Even though I don't smoke, that would still be fine with me. It's a private property issue in my book. Sorry, end of rant.

If you want to do some target shooting, there are several gun ranges in the Dallas area. Some of them are kind of costly and fru-fru for my taste, but that's my problem.

 

[kiltie]

Kiltie, the city of Dallas is wet but there are other cities in the county that are dry. (Can't think which ones) Yeah, it's a mess. Garland is wet, and so is Rowlett which straddles Dallas and Rockwall counties. Don't get me started on paying taxes to 2 counties!

Heh heh...
I've still got my little paper ID that says I can get a drink at... where was I...I don't recall, but some Cajun joint north of Dallas. That was about ten years ago - ya never know when it might come in handy.

I forgot one of my other favorite state to state "isms":
In Oklahoma, the beer has a lower alcohol content. So you're really cool with the kids when you come up from Texas and drink all night a only get fat. OR, you're extra-extra cool if you bring in beer from Texas.
Several years ago I went to a softball tournament in Baltimore ( eh... Prince George County ). It's a big firefighter deal they have every year to raise funds for the MDA. Anyway, I stayed in a camp with a bunch of firemen out of Canada. Their beer is, what - 1 1/2 times most US beers? It was the first time I've ever had non-American beer not stamped for import and I was very surprised ( being quite the nationalist ) that it actually was much better than most I've had. These guys had caravaned in with cases of the stuff ( as much as customs would allow, in however many cars they brought ). Needless to say, it was a popular place to be.
At the end of the tourney, there was about four or five six-packs left and these guys, strangely loving all things Texas, willed all the leftovers to my friend and me. I ditched my sleeping bag to fill it's bag and packed towels around the cans. Sad to say, only about half survived the flight home ( altitude? ), but it was nice to have the stuff around for another coupla days.

 

[djhatman]

Why don't you go to Utah where you can't do anything but take a break from smoking, drinking and getting high? They have skiing, mountains, deserts, white water rafting, fishing, Dinosaur National Monument, Anasazi (Native American) ruins, and so on. And if you get bored with all that, Nevada is next door.

We did just get rid of the Private Club laws here. So it is easier to get a drink. Smoking indoors is a no no, but we were not the first to pass that law. To have fun in Utah you just need to know someone who likes to have a good time. Plus we love are guns here.

 

[Opas Coat]

If you want west coast, try Vancouver B.C, its not the US, but its damn close and BC is basicley where most of the pot from North America comes from. IF I ever went to the states, it would likley be Arazona or Texas (very little rust on the old cars and no such thing as -40) Would also be nice to carry a consealed hand gun.