Travel USA travel tips and tricks

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Drakescoffeecake said:
Finally figured out my cities :oops:

LA > San Fran > Seattle > Portland > Vegas > Albuquerque > Austin > New Orleans > Chicago > NYC

Any hotel recommendations would be very welcome :thumbsu:
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Albuquerque. Why? It is a dump.

New Orleans - dangerous.

SF - over-rated and now going downhill.

LA - no soul big city.
 
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deltablues said:
Albuquerque. Why? It is a dump.

New Orleans - dangerous.

SF - over-rated and now going downhill.

LA - no soul big city.
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New Orleans is an amazing city.

SF is awesome. Perfect for a 2-3 day stop, while in Cali and if you're doing San Diego or the like. Not too far and you can drive it which is an experience in itself. Bike ride the bridge into Sausalito and check out alcatraz, worth the trip in itself.

But yeah LA is a hole.
 
deltablues said:
When the Oz Reserve Bank stops playing politics by trying to prop up the housing bubble, and restores interest rates to above the historical current low rate [the RB is now totally out of gas, and credibility] the AUD will rise. But not back to the highs of the last decade as the Fed will increase US rates, and the new US admin will likely increase business confidence as it cuts red tape.

I play the 4X market. 76 to 80 cents is about the right fit. 80 cents maybe in 2018.
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Plenty of factors are in play and the housing market is 1 small part in rthe increase or decline of the AU dollar. International investor confidence is a massive factor in value of the dollar.

The Oz Reserve bank also inflences the GDP and that then influences how and low the interest rates go. They really only play a small part in the valuation of the AUS$ in comparison to the USD.

The most pressing issue right now would be the relationship between the USA and Russia. New Russian money could be removed from the USD and invested in China, EURO or AUS as a way to impacting and influencing the US stock exchange. That could have a masive impact in the value of the Australian Dollar. If Putin gets pissed off with Obarma, he could influence Russian investors to move money from the USD to the $AUS if the 2 countries get closer to having a war.
 

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Hard Ball Get said:
New Orleans is an amazing city.

SF is awesome. Perfect for a 2-3 day stop, while in Cali and if you're doing San Diego or the like. Not too far and you can drive it which is an experience in itself. Bike ride the bridge into Sausalito and check out alcatraz, worth the trip in itself.

But yeah LA is a hole.
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Hollywood, Burbank, Pasadena (where most TV Stdio are) are a few complete shit holes to avoid as scammers and homeless hang out.

But Anaheim is very nice, Santa Barbra, Santa Monica, Ventura, Malibu, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach are all lovely places to go to.

If you have never been to the USA before, California is a great place to start and get acclimated to the US culture.
 
Barney_stinson said:
Hollywood, Burbank, Pasadena (where most TV Stdio are) are a few complete shit holes to avoid as scammers and homeless hang out.

But Anaheim is very nice, Santa Barbra, Santa Monica, Ventura, Malibu, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach are all lovely places to go to.

If you have never been to the USA before, California is a great place to start and get acclimated to the US culture.
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Yeah I loved Cali. Didn't like LA at all as I said above, but Cali is amazing. Something for everyone. The national parks are sensational, theme parks of you like that kind of thing, great road trips, awesome sport, nightlife, shopping, history. The state is brilliant.
 
Hard Ball Get said:
Yeah I loved Cali. Didn't like LA at all as I said above, but Cali is amazing. Something for everyone. The national parks are sensational, theme parks of you like that kind of thing, great road trips, awesome sport, nightlife, shopping, history. The state is brilliant.
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Yep, California has something for everyone.

And IMO - the further away from the city (LA) you get and go closer towards the beach, the more Australian you get. The beach life has a very Australian, laid back, friendly and truthworthy feel about it.

I wouldn't trust anyone in or around Hollywood (Sunset Blvd, Hollywood walk of fame, BH, Le Brea) as its as dodgy as **** but I wouldn't avoid it. Just have your wits about you.
 
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Barney_stinson said:
Yep, California has something for everyone.

And IMO - the further away from the city (LA) you get and go closer towards the beach, the more Australian you get. The beach life has a very Australian, laid back, friendly and truthworthy feel about it.

I wouldn't trust anyone in or around Hollywood (Sunset Blvd, Hollywood walk of fame, BH, Le Brea) as its as dodgy as **** but I wouldn't avoid it. Just have your wits about you.
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There are still a lot of homeless people in areas like Venice Beach and Santa Monica. You always have to be on the lookout no matter which part of LA you are in.

Once you get to places like Anaheim, Santa Barbara, Carmel and San Diego you don't need to be looking over your shoulder all the time.
 
Nelso said:
There are still a lot of homeless people in areas like Venice Beach and Santa Monica. You always have to be on the lookout no matter which part of LA you are in.

Once you get to places like Anaheim, Santa Barbara, Carmel and San Diego you don't need to be looking over your shoulder all the time.
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Very true but I found it was hidden and not as obvious in places like Venice Beach, Santa Monica and down the coast compared to the downtown city areas.
 

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Goodo73 said:
I'd have said that the homeless situation in Venice Beach was quite obvious (and that's after being there last November).
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I lived in Southern California for 3 years between 06 and 09 and but have been oblivious to it.

Not saying it didn't happen but it became hidden to me and maybe it just blended in for my surroundings.
 
Walked around downtown late at night a few times in October, wouldn't recommend it but no different to walking around Melbourne at the same time.
 
Barney_stinson said:
I lived in Southern California for 3 years between 06 and 09 and but have been oblivious to it.

Not saying it didn't happen but it became hidden to me and maybe it just blended in for my surroundings.
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Fair point.

The homeless situation in big US cities was something my mates and I really noticed, at least in the parts of the country we visited (NY, LA, Vegas). Having said that, I've noticed an increase of it here in Melbourne in recent times.
 
Goodo73 said:
Fair point.

The homeless situation in big US cities was something my mates and I really noticed, at least in the parts of the country we visited (NY, LA, Vegas). Having said that, I've noticed an increase of it here in Melbourne in recent times.
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Look, you are 100% correct but I guess it's where you go.

In Vegas, it was massively obvious. They would set up their box houses on the elevated bridges across the strip and whereever you walked, you would see them.

It was the same in San Francisco. They were out in the open and basically living on the street. You could not miss them. Hollywood - Sunset Boulevard and Grauman's theatre were very obvious as well.

However, down by the beach they would hide away in the small alleyways and behind the tourist stalls but some would be sitting on the benches esecially in Santa Monica.

I guess it comes back to how pissed off the police are and how often they move them on. I know in Santa Monica they are very strict on vagrant people in the area and don't let them hang around for long. Not saying it don't happen as it does.
 
Goodo73 said:
Fair point.

The homeless situation in big US cities was something my mates and I really noticed, at least in the parts of the country we visited (NY, LA, Vegas). Having said that, I've noticed an increase of it here in Melbourne in recent times.
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It is everywhere now.

I was surprised with the number of homeless people in Hawaii.

I was expecting it in places like New Orleans after what happened with Katrina.
 
crownie said:
it's a good base if its your first visit.

Anything specific you want to see while you are there?
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Nope, I don't want to go there. Unfortunately I am traveling with a group and am outnumbered. Any must-do's will still be welcomed though. Something other than the touristy crap like Universal, walk of fame etc that doesn't interest me in the slightest.
 
Just a tip for any Vegas lovers...

Monday - Thursday nights are your friends. Don't get sucked into thinking you need to be in Vegas on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night as they are the 'party nights'. Every night in Vegas is the same. Same shows play every night, casino and tables are open 24/7. You won't miss anything on a Monday or Tuesday night.

If you're on holidays, book your time for a midweek stay. The room rates are 60% cheaper than a Friday, Saturday or Sunday but try and avoid Vegas when they have massive conferences on.

Love Vegas as its only 4 hours from Southern California, just avoid peak hour traffic. You could be stuck in your car an extra 2 hours
 
Drakescoffeecake said:
Nope, I don't want to go there. Unfortunately I am traveling with a group and am outnumbered. Any must-do's will still be welcomed though. Something other than the touristy crap like Universal, walk of fame etc that doesn't interest me in the slightest.
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Hollywood sign?

Best place to get a photo is the third level of the Hard Rock restaurant. Take the elevator to the 3rd and walk between the 2 buildings and look east (i think) and you get a glorious view.

Or if yoiu have a car, take North Vermont Avenure and you can almost touch it. You will be within 200 metres of it.
 
Drakescoffeecake said:
Nope, I don't want to go there. Unfortunately I am traveling with a group and am outnumbered. Any must-do's will still be welcomed though. Something other than the touristy crap like Universal, walk of fame etc that doesn't interest me in the slightest.
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Just a few thinks that are not overly touristy

Google "La Brea Tar Pits"
Olvera Street (Spanish influence)
Santee Ally (outdoor flee market)
The Grove (farmers market but lots of shopping)
 
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crownie said:
Walked around downtown late at night a few times in October, wouldn't recommend it but no different to walking around Melbourne at the same time.
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It's very different if you ask me. As you said I wouldn't recommend walking around downtown. I'd have absolutely no hesitation in recommending a walk through Melbourne at night. None at all.
 

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