I feel like sharing about my 1 month, vastly amazing American holiday. Including spots that were either hit or miss but also taking into account my predetermined mindset heading into my holiday.
Los Angeles (12 days)
Some will say spending 12 days in Los Angeles is a bit too long, and they could be right. There were plenty of days where myself and my friends had to search for things to do. That being said, I had an amazing time in LA and I wouldn't change the length of time I spent there. First off we stayed in the lovely Santa Monica (in comparison to most of LA, if you are looking for a nice area to stay in look no further). Not massively far from some of the hotspots of LA, I genuinely loved this place from the moment I touched down. We stayed in an Air BnB accomodation which was cheap and in a great location. Santa Monica has a couple things to offer, I particularly loved the Santa Monica pier and frequented it multiple times during my stay. Rent out a bike from the pier and head left, all the way down to Venice Beach. An awesome ride that will only take 10 or so minutes. Afterwards, deciding not to go to San Diego (which could be a regret - not sure), we decided to spend a few more days in a hostel. A cost saving option, but also a great decision. The hostel we stayed in was located behind Hollywood Boulevard and was called USA Hostels. Highly recommended. Security is top notch and the overall vibe of the hostel was great, with events running throughout the day and night. Some nights there wasn't really a need to head out to a bar or club, as the hostel ran parties which were pretty amazing. 6 Flags Amusement Park (Magic Mountain) is an absolute must if you are a ride enthusiast. An Uber cost us around $35 US, split between 4 and definitely worth it.
Hit:
USA Hostels
Santa Monica Pier
6 Flags Amusement Park (Magic Mountain) -- amazing place which wasn't overly crowded like Universal.
Staple Center for an NBA game.
Burger places - plenty of variety. I particularly liked Tommy's and Five Guys.
Meh:
Hollywood Blvd - don't have high expectations, but check it out nevertheless. Some cool people to interact with, but be careful roaming at night.
Night life - we found some cool spots, but mostly the nightlife was pretty dry in LA. Some cool bars in Downtown, like anything, it's what you make of it.
Universal Studios - overcrowded, but still pretty cool.
Miss:
Nothing we did was horrible.
Las Vegas
You can't go wrong here. 3 insane days of partying/gambling and I wish I had a little more time there. We were here for New Years Eve and the joint was insanely busy. Clubs are off the charts and will set you back quite a lot of money for drinks and entry fees. I would recommend staying in Ballys for a cheaper option, not one of the major casinos in Vegas though. The Gun Range is quite cool if you're looking for something to do of a day. I had the best time in Vegas and it was easily my favourite place in the USA.
Hit:
Casinos - Caesar's Palace is quite the sight.
Gun Range
Miss:
Nothing.
Yosemite National Park
This place is nothing short of a spectacle. It was covered in ice and snow, which made the track walks extremely fun as everybody was slipping and falling over. You MUST see this place in person. Words cannot do it any justice.
San Francisco
A beautiful city. Certainly has it's own style in comparison to other US cities. Nightlife was really good and everything was close-by. Unfortunately, Alcatraz was sold out so I cannot comment on that. We had a boat cruise which took us out under the Golden Gate bridge. Very cold, but definitely worth embracing.
New York
SO. ****ING. COLD. Avoid this place during Winter if you cannot brace the cold weather. Unfortunately I got wasted one night and lost my warm winter jacket. So I braced the cold in a hoodie for the duration of my time in NYC. A massive city, so it was impossible to do everything we wanted in the time frame we were there. Hit up the 9/11 memorial, the Brooklyn Bridge, Timesquare and make sure you use the Subway system there. It's extremely efficient and will save you lots on Cabs/Ubers. Just make sure you speak to someone and have them explain how the system works beforehand.
Hit:
Nightlife - some great bars and clubs, literally on every corner. I particularly liked a place called Turtle Bay.
Timesquare - you've probably heard all about it. Check it out.
Brooklyn Bridge
9/11 Memorial
Rockafella View Point
Central Park
Miss:
Wall Street - I personally wouldn't bother.
Miami
Avoid during Winter, in my opinion. Whilst it was by far the warmest place I stayed in, the weather itself wasn't great and it heavily dictates how much fun you can have in Miami. A very tourist-heavy place, it reminded me a lot of Gold Coast. All about the beach and the nightlife. I would recommend, if you're looking for something to do other than the beach during the day, to go on a fishing charter or hire a scooter and drive around. Otherwise, other than drinking and partying, there isn't much to see in Miami.
If anyone has any questions about any of these places, feel free to quote or PM. I had an amazing time and (hopefully) have lot's of knowledge to pass on these certain places. USA is an amazing place, and I'm definitely excited to go back and explore the South, as well as more of the East.
Los Angeles (12 days)
Some will say spending 12 days in Los Angeles is a bit too long, and they could be right. There were plenty of days where myself and my friends had to search for things to do. That being said, I had an amazing time in LA and I wouldn't change the length of time I spent there. First off we stayed in the lovely Santa Monica (in comparison to most of LA, if you are looking for a nice area to stay in look no further). Not massively far from some of the hotspots of LA, I genuinely loved this place from the moment I touched down. We stayed in an Air BnB accomodation which was cheap and in a great location. Santa Monica has a couple things to offer, I particularly loved the Santa Monica pier and frequented it multiple times during my stay. Rent out a bike from the pier and head left, all the way down to Venice Beach. An awesome ride that will only take 10 or so minutes. Afterwards, deciding not to go to San Diego (which could be a regret - not sure), we decided to spend a few more days in a hostel. A cost saving option, but also a great decision. The hostel we stayed in was located behind Hollywood Boulevard and was called USA Hostels. Highly recommended. Security is top notch and the overall vibe of the hostel was great, with events running throughout the day and night. Some nights there wasn't really a need to head out to a bar or club, as the hostel ran parties which were pretty amazing. 6 Flags Amusement Park (Magic Mountain) is an absolute must if you are a ride enthusiast. An Uber cost us around $35 US, split between 4 and definitely worth it.
Hit:
USA Hostels
Santa Monica Pier
6 Flags Amusement Park (Magic Mountain) -- amazing place which wasn't overly crowded like Universal.
Staple Center for an NBA game.
Burger places - plenty of variety. I particularly liked Tommy's and Five Guys.
Meh:
Hollywood Blvd - don't have high expectations, but check it out nevertheless. Some cool people to interact with, but be careful roaming at night.
Night life - we found some cool spots, but mostly the nightlife was pretty dry in LA. Some cool bars in Downtown, like anything, it's what you make of it.
Universal Studios - overcrowded, but still pretty cool.
Miss:
Nothing we did was horrible.
Las Vegas
You can't go wrong here. 3 insane days of partying/gambling and I wish I had a little more time there. We were here for New Years Eve and the joint was insanely busy. Clubs are off the charts and will set you back quite a lot of money for drinks and entry fees. I would recommend staying in Ballys for a cheaper option, not one of the major casinos in Vegas though. The Gun Range is quite cool if you're looking for something to do of a day. I had the best time in Vegas and it was easily my favourite place in the USA.
Hit:
Casinos - Caesar's Palace is quite the sight.
Gun Range
Miss:
Nothing.
Yosemite National Park
This place is nothing short of a spectacle. It was covered in ice and snow, which made the track walks extremely fun as everybody was slipping and falling over. You MUST see this place in person. Words cannot do it any justice.
San Francisco
A beautiful city. Certainly has it's own style in comparison to other US cities. Nightlife was really good and everything was close-by. Unfortunately, Alcatraz was sold out so I cannot comment on that. We had a boat cruise which took us out under the Golden Gate bridge. Very cold, but definitely worth embracing.
New York
SO. ****ING. COLD. Avoid this place during Winter if you cannot brace the cold weather. Unfortunately I got wasted one night and lost my warm winter jacket. So I braced the cold in a hoodie for the duration of my time in NYC. A massive city, so it was impossible to do everything we wanted in the time frame we were there. Hit up the 9/11 memorial, the Brooklyn Bridge, Timesquare and make sure you use the Subway system there. It's extremely efficient and will save you lots on Cabs/Ubers. Just make sure you speak to someone and have them explain how the system works beforehand.
Hit:
Nightlife - some great bars and clubs, literally on every corner. I particularly liked a place called Turtle Bay.
Timesquare - you've probably heard all about it. Check it out.
Brooklyn Bridge
9/11 Memorial
Rockafella View Point
Central Park
Miss:
Wall Street - I personally wouldn't bother.
Miami
Avoid during Winter, in my opinion. Whilst it was by far the warmest place I stayed in, the weather itself wasn't great and it heavily dictates how much fun you can have in Miami. A very tourist-heavy place, it reminded me a lot of Gold Coast. All about the beach and the nightlife. I would recommend, if you're looking for something to do other than the beach during the day, to go on a fishing charter or hire a scooter and drive around. Otherwise, other than drinking and partying, there isn't much to see in Miami.
If anyone has any questions about any of these places, feel free to quote or PM. I had an amazing time and (hopefully) have lot's of knowledge to pass on these certain places. USA is an amazing place, and I'm definitely excited to go back and explore the South, as well as more of the East.
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