Kalingrad

Hi, Gary. I have not traveled there, but here is the link to a previous thread on Kaliningrad that includes comments from a Kaliningrad resident:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/poland/kaliningrad-visit

I'm hoping to make it to Kaliningrad in the next few years, tacking it on to a trip to Lithuania. Entry into Russia (including Kaliningrad) requires a visa. I plan to go for the the 3-year multi-entry Russia visa (same price as a single entry visa); I plan to visit St Petersburg for the first time and Moscow for the second time while the visa is active. Info on visas from the Russian embassy website: https://washington.mid.ru/en/consular-services/citizens-usa/visa-to-russia/

Michael Palin had a short segment on Kaliningrad. It's part of his "New Europe" travel series from 2007. See the last ten minutes here:

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5ohp3l

I spent two days on the Lithuanian section of the Curonian Spit, which was beautiful. The dunes and beaches had many trails, also good cycling. We were on a long trip through Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and since we had seen a good deal of Russia on previous trips, didn’t bother crossing into Kaliningrad on the Spit. But travelers we talked to in Lithuania thought it was worthwhile.

We did a tour of Ukraine, Russia and the three baltic states in 2011.
We loved Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Those countries have far surpassed Russia in relative prosperity.

Also, each country they keep reminding you of how happy they are to be free of Soviet oppression.