Travel USA travel tips and tricks

Remove this Banner Ad

Dips said:
What does everyone do about SIM cards while they're over there? Is it better to get a prepaid sim once over there or to use an Aussie SIM and enable roaming?
Click to expand...

I usually get a sim from T Mobile while I'm there as they offer ones with unlimited data.
 
vanders said:
I usually get a sim from T Mobile while I'm there as they offer ones with unlimited data.
Click to expand...
just looked at that - thats exactly what i'm after. thanks buddy
 
I'm heading over with a mate Mid october - Mid November. I'm a rams fan but no games in LA when i'm there so going to watch them play the Giants in NY. Waiting for the UFC oct/nov events to drop before starting to lock cities etc in. We are very flexible at the moment with where to go.... am reading through the thread to get more ideas
 
Last edited:

Log in to remove this ad.

Silent Alarm said:
Has anyone been to Lollapalooza or Outside Lands?
Click to expand...

I havent but i was thinking about going to OL this year mainly to see Metallica and Gorillaz as ive wanted to see them for a long time and havent been able to. But i could see Metallica in Seattle a few days earlier and the idea of going to a festival by myself and having to wait through a heap of bands i dont care about to be in a good spot for Gorillaz is very unappealing.

I just wish Gorillaz tour was a more comprehensive one rather than being so limited.
 
WCEprod said:
I'm heading over with a mate Mid october - Mid November. I'm a rams fan but no games in LA when i'm there so going to watch them play the Giants in NY. Waiting for the UFC oct/nov events to drop before starting to lock cities etc in. We are very flexible at the moment with where to go.... am reading through the thread to get more ideas
Click to expand...

Highly recommend New Orleans. That and NY are my two faves. Miles ahead of anywhere else
 
FootyJunkie said:
Heard NOLA is a bit of a dump
Click to expand...
NOLA is fantastic. So much to see and do. French quarter is amazing. Bourbon St is good for a night out. Went to Mardi Gras world to see how they make the floats for the parade.

I also liked going into the areas that were affected by Hurricane Katrina to get a true perspective of how big it was.

Swamp tour on an airboat was great.

Cajun food was incredible.

Sure there are certain parts of the town which are seedy but you will find that in most US cities.
 
Nelso said:
NOLA is fantastic. So much to see and do. French quarter is amazing. Bourbon St is good for a night out. Went to Mardi Gras world to see how they make the floats for the parade.

I also liked going into the areas that were affected by Hurricane Katrina to get a true perspective of how big it was.

Swamp tour on an airboat was great.

Cajun food was incredible.

Sure there are certain parts of the town which are seedy but you will find that in most US cities.
Click to expand...


Totally agree, Quite a few "dodgy or run down areas" but i loved the place, I also did the swamp tour and that was one of my favourite things in the states.

Went to the basketball there as well, I would 100% go back
 
Really really dumb question but what's the process with getting a Visa for the US? What site do I use? There's a few on google but I don't want to go giving money to some shitty website that isn't legitimate and proper.
 
Silent Alarm said:
Really really dumb question but what's the process with getting a Visa for the US? What site do I use? There's a few on google but I don't want to go giving money to some shitty website that isn't legitimate and proper.
Click to expand...
How long are going for again? If 90 days or less then this is all you need

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Richo is God said:
I got mine almost instantly.
Click to expand...
It's not a physical thing is it? They just have it on file when you arrive, correct?

Also those who have been to both or all... better to go to Chicago/Milwaukee/around there or Texas? Really tossing it up. If I went to Chicago (from NY), would it be cheaper to go to Seattle/Portland then down to LA than it would just three or four places in Texas? Thanks!
 
Silent Alarm said:
It's not a physical thing is it? They just have it on file when you arrive, correct?

Also those who have been to both or all... better to go to Chicago/Milwaukee/around there or Texas? Really tossing it up. If I went to Chicago (from NY), would it be cheaper to go to Seattle/Portland then down to LA than it would just three or four places in Texas? Thanks!
Click to expand...
You can print the piece of paper, can't remember if I needed to show a physical copy but just take it incase otherwise yeah it's just on the file when they check your passport I guess
 
Silent Alarm said:
It's not a physical thing is it? They just have it on file when you arrive, correct?

Also those who have been to both or all... better to go to Chicago/Milwaukee/around there or Texas? Really tossing it up. If I went to Chicago (from NY), would it be cheaper to go to Seattle/Portland then down to LA than it would just three or four places in Texas? Thanks!
Click to expand...
Can't go wrong either way. The Midwest is awesome, didn't go west of Chicago but Columbus is a big student city and I think Pittsburgh is very underrated. Indy is cool as well although I stayed at a mates fraternity and went to basketball games otherwise I might've skipped it. I'd still lean towards Texas since Austin is my favourite city in the country and San Antonio is excellent.

As for your question, it just depends on flight prices at the time. I got a really cheap flight from Dallas to Chicago which left at 5am so I stayed at the airport. And once you're in Texas, bus prices are ridiculously cheap.
 
Richo is God said:
You can print the piece of paper, can't remember if I needed to show a physical copy but just take it incase otherwise yeah it's just on the file when they check your passport I guess
Click to expand...

Ive been there 5 times since 2011 and have never needed a physical copy (unless you count the time a security guard at the casino in Cleveland asked for my visa)
 
Yeah I take a printed copy just incase.

Has anyone done thanksgiving parade in new york before ?

We have got extremely lucky our hotel is close to 6th avenue so i think we can watch it from the streets.

I'm assuming it's pretty packed?

Hoping to find somewhere to go for a thanksgiving lunch/ tea as well if anyone has any suggestions
 
Silent Alarm said:
It's not a physical thing is it? They just have it on file when you arrive, correct?

Also those who have been to both or all... better to go to Chicago/Milwaukee/around there or Texas? Really tossing it up. If I went to Chicago (from NY), would it be cheaper to go to Seattle/Portland then down to LA than it would just three or four places in Texas? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Chicago is well worth checking out (I used to live there) ... Hancock/Sears building, art institute/observatory/Shedd aquarium, plenty of music establishments, especially if you like Blues. Navy Pier is a bit of a tourist trap, but fine to check out when its not too busy with a festival. Go on a boat ride on Lake Michigan or an architectural boat ride along the Chicago River. See Millennium Park and "The Bean". Plenty of meal options, but may as well try the inside-out Chicago style pizza pie when you're there. Big sports town too... Bulls, Blackhawks, Bears, Cubs/Sox... depending what time of the year you go.... but I would advise to only come in the northern summer. It's a cold depressing and miserable hole from November to March.

Can't say much about Milwaukee, only ever drove passed it. Heard its a nice, but much quieter than Chicago. Big brewery town obviously, so do a brewery tour if that's your thing. Bucks and Brewers for sports.

Texas is a better place to live in than it is to visit. If you come to say Dallas, Austin or San Antonio, don't expect too many touristy heavy things to do there... the cities are more catered to going out/lifestyle/nightlife, but there are a few things to still see.

In Dallas, JFK Text Book Despository is really well done though and worth seeing, Reunion Tower if you want a city view from high above, check out Bishop Arts district and Deep Ellum during the day, Uptown for nightlife. Fort Worth is very cool, very different feel to Dallas. A Cowboys game is pretty awesome to check out, but AT&T is right in between Dallas and Fort Worth and can be a pain to get to w/o a car. Texas Rangers are near there too... but you can stay in Dallas for the Mavs and Stars.

Austin has the capitol building and great views at The Oasis at Lake Travis just outside the city - good drinks, but the food is very ordinary. Good nightlife in Austin - a really good live music city. San Antonio is great for a day - check out The Alamo and Riverwalk. Check out a Spurs game? Never been to Houston, but heard its just a big city with humidity, nothing special.

Doing Texas would probably be a bit cheaper than Seattle/Portland.

Portland is hipster central... some nice things to see outside it, Mt.Hood and Oceanside at the Pacific Ocean, but Portland itself, although has a bit of a nightlife to it, is a bit dull if you ask me. Seattle is a bit better up the road - plenty of touristy stuff to do up there.
 
Last edited:
Cheers! Just one of those things where you have to lock in one thing and cop it and realise you can't see everything, but you'll have a great time anywhere. There's always next time. Reckon I may give the east coast a miss (aside from just a few days in LA at the end) and spend a month or two next time going down from bottom to top and maybe doing that so I cop some decent-ish but not oppressive weather in California then some colder days in the northern parts.

Really really torn on TX v the Midwest... would rather spend a month just hanging out in towns in a smaller area than criss-crossing and spending a ton on flights and wasting full days in the process.
 
robbieando said:
Yep, never had an issue with them
Click to expand...

FootyJunkie said:
i did once, flew in/out of Seattle domestically... had no issues, can't remember if there were complimentary drinks or not

they probably should rename the airline "PacNorthWest Airlines" or something since its HQ is in Seattle, not Alaska
Click to expand...

Awesome. I'm flying on them from Portland to Boston next year (Virgin doesn't fly that route). Just had never heard of them.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Travel USA travel tips and tricks

Similar threads

P_Crippy
Travel E-Sim recommendation for travel to Europe
Replies
7
Views
1K
ESKIE
ESKIE
apollo_creed
Watching AFL in Japan and China
Replies
7
Views
2K
apollo_creed
apollo_creed

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top