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Sometimes I see go XXX (go home) and sometimes go to XXX (go to school, go to work). Is there any specific rule about this?

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@Jasper Loy: I was totally distracted by the use of somewhere without the delimiters <>, taking it literally. Now when I check the original, I feel the original conveyed the OP's intention better. – Kris Jan 3 '12 at 12:29

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When go is followed by a noun, it needs to. When it's followed by anything else, it doesn't. (In 'go home', home is an adverb.)

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I expected this answer to be challenged. I'd be grateful if the down-voter would do so, perhaps by producing counter-examples. – Barrie England Jan 3 '12 at 7:55
So I should wait for more answers, right? – W.N. Jan 3 '12 at 11:21
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@W.N.: Some words may not immediately appear to be nouns and therefore seem to conflict: Go fishing*/ *Go shopping. In reality, I do not see any conflict here, though. – Kris Jan 3 '12 at 11:42
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@PeterShor: "Downtown" is listed as an adverb (which is how I understand it in your example) as well as an adjective and a noun (Oxford Dictionaries Online). It doesn't exactly deviate from the rule that Barrie has given. As for "home", the same source lists it as an adverb, too. – Irene Jan 5 '12 at 12:55
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Go fly a kite! – z7sg Ѫ Jan 5 '12 at 13:08
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