A couple of observations from vacation

ChuckR

1. I have not found a bbq joint yet that can match what I produce on the egg. I am sure they are out there, but...
I at at Joe's BBQ in Blue Ridge, GA this past weekend. It was the one that is the best in the country per trip advisor. Not sure how they decided that. It was ok but I have had better near my home. The ribs with their sauce was decent. The pulled pork was moist but had no real flavor. For supposedly being better than Franklin BBQ or something else i was extremely disappointed. 

2. My other observation is that every time I get a rental house the grill sucks. I have never had a good experience. I am not opposed to using gas or charcoal. Every time. Last year it was a gasser at the beach that was barely working. I could never get it over 300 and it took forever to cook on. This year it was an infrared grill which i have never used. No problem getting it up to temp, but my steaks had no flavor. Any way I guess that is a good reason for me to convince the wife that we need a mini max. 

Sorry to gripe, but very disappointing on both parts. 

thetrim

Bring your own egg or your own Kalamazoo!  Anything less is below your abilities!!!

SmokeyPitt

I have eaten at Joe's once and I thought it was really good, but definitely not the best I have had. I agree there is no way it deserves #1 in Georgia much less #1 in the country. It was definitely solid and I would eat there again but I think Tripadvisor pulled that top ten list out of their arse. 

etherdome

I totally agree with you on grills and vacations spots. They ALWAYS suck. Once i rented a beach house that claimed to have a grill and it was a park style grill stuck in the ground with no top and the beach winds blowing over it at 15 mph all week.  

DoubleEgger

Joes isn't even the best BBQ in Blue Ridge

kl8ton

Even though they are gassers, Gull wing beach resort in ft myers beach regularly replaces their 4 webers on the pool deck.  It is pretty nice.  

Foghorn

This is all about expectations. 

On Tripadvisor a cheap motel or restaurant that exceeds it customers' expectations will be rated higher than a place that is better but costs more and comes with higher expectations. 

As for the vacation grills, I look at it the other way. I've learned enough from this forum and cooking on my egg that I'm now a better cook on any grill. So I'm just happy to have any grill to cook on at a vacation house. Although if there is no grill I can solve that problem for $39 and get a 13" Weber which can turn out a lot of great food. 

thetrim

Someone once posted a pretty cool thread about turning in a State Park Style stuck in the ground grill into a smoker with plenty of aluminum foil origami.  

abpgwolf

The first egg I cooked on was at a vacation house (owned by a family friend) I cooked on the egg all week, and two weeks later my lovely wife bought me an egg!

Mickey

We go to Seaside FL every year (past 18 years). Most of the time I take an Egg. 
We found this place that provided an Egg in Seaside. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

If I show up and see a Weber, I'm a happy guy. Never had a good gasser at a vacation spot. If i don't see a Weber, I go buy one and leave it. 

Spaightlabs

When we go to Canada in the fall to chase birds we take a Weber up with us and leave it as well.  Cheap insurance that we will have some good food while there.

Kcheves

Going to Blue Ridge in August to see the eclipse, and will check out Joe's.  My cousin owns Blue Ridge Brewery.

GATraveller

We rented a house at the beach a couple years ago that had an egg. I spent 30 mins. cleaning out the ash and burning off remnants of Matchlight.
Ive learned from traveling that national parks are empty as soon as you pass the first waterfall.