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Originally posted by pdog
contemplating taking holiday to america mid next year. Anyone have any suggestions on what to do, where to go etc? Thinking LA will be a big part of it.
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Just did whirlwind 2 weeks there.

Depends what you like. There wasn't much in LA to interest me other than Disneyland, and we were lucky enough to get a personalised tour of Warner Bros.

If you like 'beautiful' places, don't fuss too much with LA unless as a base to launch expeditions from.

We enjoyed the Marin County up near San Francisco, beautiful forests, coast areas, hills, etc.

And Santa Barbara (2 hours from LA) is an incredibly beautiful town.

Although we didn't go there, I heard that San Diego is a great place to visit, too.
 
LA, especially Hollywood is a hole! Apart from the famous tourism attractions there, it is horrible.

I remember when I went there in 98, I was so excited because I had wanted to go to America since I was a kid, I remember flying into LA and thinking 'Wow' I am finally here, only to be completely disappointed with the whole thing. The water is horrible, the Hollywood streets are filthy and it's probably the most overrated place going around. To quote from the genius Maynard James Keenan of TOOL....."I sure could use a vacation from this....Bullsh*t, three ring circus sideshow of freaks here in this hopeless f**king hole we call LA. The only way to fix it is to flush it all away". Nuff said :D

It's great to see Universal Studios and Disneyland and do the walk of fame on the boulevard but apart from that it's crap. If you are thinking of going on a movie star houses tour, don't get too excited as the ones you would probably want to see, you can't drive through as they are all security patrolled and blocked off!

OK...now that I have got that off my chest. If you are going to the West Coast, you should go to San Fran, Arizona and Vegas, those places are great but IMO you should really go to the East Coast, those places are far better than anything LA has to offer. New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Maryland, New Jersey, the Carolina's etc are pretty good places.

BUT..if you really want to get the best out of the USA, you should really visit the southern cities/states, they are fantastic. Especially New Orleans, Memphis, Georgia and Texas.
 

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If your after theme parks go here!

ttd_HillFullShot.jpg
 
Spend most of your time in the East mate, cos that is where it all is. Disneyland is nothing but imatation Disneyworld, which is just amazing. Must go to Disneyworld. Also, New Orleans, New York and Washington are must sees.

In the West, only Las Vegas is worth visiting.
 
Originally posted by Disgustipated
If your after theme parks go here!

ttd_HillFullShot.jpg
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Been there. Done that. (Five times.) :) Eighteen seconds of pure joy!

Cedar Point is not exactly the place to go in the depths of summer. May is great before schools let out. Late August after school begins is even better.

Now Vegas...... that place is fantastic any time of the year. I'm sure I'll win on my twelfth trip next year!:( :p
 
I'm sure the east is probably a better experience than the west, definitely, but you might have missed the entire thread we had on Disneyland.

Originally posted by year of the roo
Spend most of your time in the East mate, cos that is where it all is. Disneyland is nothing but imatation Disneyworld, which is just amazing. Must go to Disneyworld.
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As proven on the other thread. Disneyland is NOT an imitation of Disneyworld. Disneyland is the original, and predates Disneyworld by some number of years.

So Disneyworld is the imitation, albeit its having many additional parks added on which make it a much bigger place with much more to do.

Disneyland is the original, and the one that truly has a patent on the magic inherent.

So :p :)
 
Originally posted by Mobbenfuhrer
I'm sure the east is probably a better experience than the west, definitely, but you might have missed the entire thread we had on Disneyland.



As proven on the other thread. Disneyland is NOT an imitation of Disneyworld. Disneyland is the original, and predates Disneyworld by some number of years.

So Disneyworld is the imitation, albeit its having many additional parks added on which make it a much bigger place with much more to do.

Disneyland is the original, and the one that truly has a patent on the magic inherent.

So :p :)
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One more reason for Disneyworld..it's having a cricket ground being especially made there for the next Cricket World Cup!!!
 
USA is one awesome country IMO, and really its that big and populated that you need to spend a lot of time there. The diversity of the regions is amazing, and sometimes you wonder if you are really in the same country when you go to some places.

The East and West coasts are like chalk and cheese, wouldnt say one is better, just very different.

Ive backpacked there a few times, and travelled a few times for business, and everytime I have a ball and find something new to see or do. The best way to do the US is free up 6 months, grab a car/van and just drive. Spent 3 months on the road from NYC down to Miami, then back up to Toronto in Canada once - an absolutely amazing trip. So many cities, towns and places to see. I also find Americans a really friendly people. I know others dont, but I must click with them, because I always have a ball there.

First couple of times I went to LA I didnt think much of it, very hard city for a tourist, public transport sucks and its very spreadout - downtown LA offers very little. However, a few years ago I met some (now) very good friends of mine who live in a very nice area of town, and having stayed there for extended periods since I must say being a 'local' in LA is one awesome experience. Some awesome nightspots when you get in the know, especially when you realise their early curfew (bars) doesnt mean the end of the night!

Disneyland simply sucks, one of the worst themeparks going around I reckon, just too dated and that new one they built next to it is worse.

Orland is pretty cool, and huge - between Disney and Universal you need a week just for theme parks! The best parks in the US tho are the rollercoaster ones scattered around the joint.

For a 2 week trip, Im not sure youd want to bother going to the west coast, you basically lose 2 days in travel. On the West coast, IMO LA, San Diego, San Fran and Vegas are the go, especially for a first trip. In 2 weeks it would be a comfortable drive starting/finishing at LAX. Every now and then I take 1/2 week trips spending a few nights in LA, then driving to Vegas for a weekend, then driving back. Done it heaps of times and keep doing it. Love it.

Remember to avoid driving in LA in peak hour. Made that mistake once. You either dont move for hours, or you end up 55 miles per hour bumper to bumber. then they wonder why they have 16 car pileups.
 
Originally posted by Smokin


First couple of times I went to LA I didnt think much of it, very hard city for a tourist, public transport sucks and its very spreadout - downtown LA offers very little. However, a few years ago I met some (now) very good friends of mine who live in a very nice area of town, and having stayed there for extended periods since I must say being a 'local' in LA is one awesome experience. Some awesome nightspots when you get in the know, especially when you realise their early curfew (bars) doesnt mean the end of the night!
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Good call Smokin. When I was in LA I didn't stay in a touristy area and I loved it. Beverley Hills sucks but there are some great areas in LA. I loved the theme parks (Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Universal Studios and Knott's Berry Farm), the clubs were great (saw some great old school punk bands like the Zeros and the Fuzztones), the people on the most part pretty friendly.

Other places/experiences I'd recommend:

New Orleans-simply fantastic city.
Memphis - Graceland and then get out
Wrestling - gotta go to a live wrestling card
Grand Canyon - awe inspiring sight
The area between LA and San Francisco
The Rocky Mountains
Las Vegas
San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf
Carl Jnr's Hamburgers - I'm thinking of opening a franchise here.

I'd also recommend catching the train between cities. I found it pretty cheap, the service was great and we got to meet a lot of interesting people.
 

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Lived in LA for a while and other than watching a Lakers games, it's was/is the most boring and dishevelled city I've been too. Northern California is beautiful as is Oregon and Washington. You have to see the Grand Canyon, but for the most part I'd hang around the east coast, or the North West Coast.
 
Really it will depend upon what time of the year and how long you are going to spend in the States but here's a start.

Food can be very expensive in the States especially if you are a steak eater however there are lots of take away food places and a great variety of food. Try to work to a daily budget. Souvenirs are expensive and if you can find a Discount Mall you can save a fortune on the cost of souvenirs.

Well the easiest part is flying into LA as most trips out of Australia to the US terminate there. Once in LA visit Disneyland. The Hotels normally have a pick up service from the airport or if there is a large group ie 5 or more it may be better and cheaper to arrange a van to collect you from the airport. Takes up to 90 minutes depending upon traffic to get out to Disneyland.

The Disneyland Hotel is expensive and is starting to show its age. It's an experience to stay on a Disney property but the resorts at Disneyworld offer a wider choice of accomodation pricing and IMO better facilities. If you are on a limited budget there are still some hotels on the fringes of the park that Disney has not bought up who also have laundries on site. Laundry can be expensive. The other hotels are outside the Disney property and normally run a shuttle service to the front gate of the park on a regular basis. They are a decent walk across the car park ( the car park is 8 acres) but much cheaper accomodation clean rooms and reasonable rates. There are a few restaurants on the main drag outside the park and they are substantially cheaper. Worth going to a character breakfast at Goofy's restaurant for the photo opportunities - food not great and not cheap but photos with all the characters makes up for it. Take 5 days at Disney and get a park hopper. In and out as often as you like and early opening gives you a head start on the queues.

Some travel packages include Disney and Knotts Berry Farm. Knotts is very good for its roller coasters and IMO the Mystery Lodge. The Wild West Show is another attraction which my family finds a hoot although not a necessity. Lots of different attractions depending upon your taste.

Then move onto LA and stay in the City whilst you visit Universal Studios and City Walk plus some of the movie and TV studios.

If you are into roller coasters then you really should travel on to Six Flags Magic Mountain. It's around $50 by van to Six Flags Magic Mountain. There is a Hilton hotel nearby. Only 2 storeys and reasonbably cheap. Not much else there except the theme park.

Then go on to Las Vegas. You don't have to be into gambling to be surprised by the free attractions in Vegas and the shows are just great.

From Vegas go to the Grand Canyon. Depending upon time of year you can catch a flight from Vegas and fly through the canyon at dawn or dusk in a single engine cessna or simply catch a tour and go out to it by bus.

Day trip down to Mexico and Tijuana. Take the tourist bus down and back as they keep it under armed guard whilst there. Hire cars have been know to disappear.

If you are going across the States from West Coast to East by plane then you will probably either go through Dallas or Chicago. The more short stops you take on the local airlines the cheaper it gets and a 9 hop ticket can work out to be about $50 per flight per person. You have the option of hiring a car and driving from coast to coast. The Cities are a bit hectic and can be confusing and dangerous but the country areas are a pleasure to drive and it is possible to buy a car and drive from coast to coast and then sell it.

It all really depends upon how much time you have and what your interest are and whether you are travelling by yourself or with a family.

Go via Dallas and onto Louisiana and New Orleans, see the old Southern Mansions then Mississippi and a steam paddler then onto Memphis to see Graceland. Not a lot else to see in Memphis unles you are into the Blues. If you are then go to Beale Street and visit BB Kings. Short trip on to Nashville (the Grand Ole Opry Hotel has to be seen to be believed) before heading to Orlando. From Orlando head north and go to New York and Wshington.

PM me if you want more information or have any other questions.
 
Originally posted by amazonstud
Really it will depend upon what time of the year and how long you are going to spend in the States but here's a start.

Food can be very expensive in the States especially if you are a steak eater however there are lots of take away food places and a great variety of food. Try to work to a daily budget. Souvenirs are expensive and if you can find a Discount Mall you can save a fortune on the cost of souvenirs.

Well the easiest part is flying into LA as most trips out of Australia to the US terminate there. Once in LA visit Disneyland. The Hotels normally have a pick up service from the airport or if there is a large group ie 5 or more it may be better and cheaper to arrange a van to collect you from the airport. Takes up to 90 minutes depending upon traffic to get out to Disneyland.

The Disneyland Hotel is expensive and is starting to show its age. It's an experience to stay on a Disney property but the resorts at Disneyworld offer a wider choice of accomodation pricing and IMO better facilities. If you are on a limited budget there are still some hotels on the fringes of the park that Disney has not bought up who also have laundries on site. Laundry can be expensive. The other hotels are outside the Disney property and normally run a shuttle service to the front gate of the park on a regular basis. They are a decent walk across the car park ( the car park is 8 acres) but much cheaper accomodation clean rooms and reasonable rates. There are a few restaurants on the main drag outside the park and they are substantially cheaper. Worth going to a character breakfast at Goofy's restaurant for the photo opportunities - food not great and not cheap but photos with all the characters makes up for it. Take 5 days at Disney and get a park hopper. In and out as often as you like and early opening gives you a head start on the queues.

Some travel packages include Disney and Knotts Berry Farm. Knotts is very good for its roller coasters and IMO the Mystery Lodge. The Wild West Show is another attraction which my family finds a hoot although not a necessity. Lots of different attractions depending upon your taste.

Then move onto LA and stay in the City whilst you visit Universal Studios and City Walk plus some of the movie and TV studios.

If you are into roller coasters then you really should travel on to Six Flags Magic Mountain. It's around $50 by van to Six Flags Magic Mountain. There is a Hilton hotel nearby. Only 2 storeys and reasonbably cheap. Not much else there except the theme park.

Then go on to Las Vegas. You don't have to be into gambling to be surprised by the free attractions in Vegas and the shows are just great.

From Vegas go to the Grand Canyon. Depending upon time of year you can catch a flight from Vegas and fly through the canyon at dawn or dusk in a single engine cessna or simply catch a tour and go out to it by bus.

Day trip down to Mexico and Tijuana. Take the tourist bus down and back as they keep it under armed guard whilst there. Hire cars have been know to disappear.

If you are going across the States from West Coast to East by plane then you will probably either go through Dallas or Chicago. The more short stops you take on the local airlines the cheaper it gets and a 9 hop ticket can work out to be about $50 per flight per person. You have the option of hiring a car and driving from coast to coast. The Cities are a bit hectic and can be confusing and dangerous but the country areas are a pleasure to drive and it is possible to buy a car and drive from coast to coast and then sell it.

It all really depends upon how much time you have and what your interest are and whether you are travelling by yourself or with a family.

Go via Dallas and onto Louisiana and New Orleans, see the old Southern Mansions then Mississippi and a steam paddler then onto Memphis to see Graceland. Not a lot else to see in Memphis unles you are into the Blues. If you are then go to Beale Street and visit BB Kings. Short trip on to Nashville (the Grand Ole Opry Hotel has to be seen to be believed) before heading to Orlando. From Orlando head north and go to New York and Wshington.

PM me if you want more information or have any other questions.
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Someone did a Contiki tour.
 
I just found out I'm going next year too.:D

I've already been to 35 states so hope to visit the other 15 so I can say I've been to all the states.:p
 
Interesting to read people's different slants on their travels to the US, but I'm detecting a serious east coast bias. No doubt there are some beautiful places and exciting things to do on the East Coast, but for my money nothing beats Seattle in the summer months.

There is something for everyone and your driving distance to Portland to the South and Vancouver to the North. Plus mix in a ferry trip to Victoria. One of the most beautiful cities in the world.
 
Originally posted by FootyontheBrain
Interesting to read people's different slants on their travels to the US, but I'm detecting a serious east coast bias. No doubt there are some beautiful places and exciting things to do on the East Coast, but for my money nothing beats Seattle in the summer months.
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The West Coast(except LA) is nice but if you want history, architecture and culture you can't beat the East, especially the New England region. Boston rocks:cool:
 
Originally posted by 15_hours_behind
Have you been to Chicago?
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yep - was there in November and it was totally freezing and I found out why they called it the Windy City :(

Other than that it seemed like a great city - the view from Sears Tower was awesome:cool:
 

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