hi all am abit new to this forum. can some people let me no some of there best places to go and see in usa am going to be travelling in the summer next year and just getting it all planned out
so
best citys?
Best National parks?
Best museums?
oh ye and best bars along the way??
Reply to this Hi Donald,
There is so much to see and do in the states. This is not a comprehensive list at all, but some of my favorites and some of the most possible. How long are you traveling for? You most likely wouldn't be able to fit these all in during a shorter trip, but if you had a few months, you might be able to!
Cities (in no particular order):
New York
Philadelphia (I'm partial, this is my home city :-)
Boston (this is a good one, i don't know if it's a must, but it's lots of fun)
Chicago
San Francisco
Seattle
New Orleans (if you like to party it up!)
If you like gov't stuff, DC is good though I don't honestly think it's a must see otherwise.
I haven't been to the southwest but i have heard there are some cool cities there as well. If you want to do southern California, San Diego is nice.
National Parks:
Grand Canyon
Yellowstone
Yosemite
The Redwood forests near San Francisco are supposed to be amazing as well.
I'm not much of a museum person so I'd have a hard time with that. Do you have specific types of museums you would like?
I mainly know the bars in Philly so if you end up with it as part of your itinerary, let me know and I can help you out with some bar/restaurant tips.
Hope this helps!
Reply to this hey thanks for that. not sure how long we are going for yet thinking of starting in san francisco - la - las vegas (has to be done) - ? - ? (not to sure were to go on our way to chicago - dc - new york then boston. not defo route but thats the places we want to see.
any info on the amtrak rail pass is it worth it, i like travelling on trains watching the world go bye have done it all over europe.
Reply to this Oh yes i forgot Vegas. I would add that on. It's not a favorite city of mine but i think it has to be done for people traveling to the US. From Vegas, i would just go straight to Chicago, unless you wanted to do something in the mountains of the Colorado area or surrounding (could do Denver - not a must see but a city en-route to Chicago somewhat). I don't know much about the Amtrak Pass. I would definitely say you can train it between DC-NY-Boston. you could drive it as well, depending on the amount of time you have.
Reply to this Being a native of Northern California and a seasoned traveler, I'd definitely spend as much time here as possible. There is so much for every type of person and interest ... Big Sur, Highway 1 from San Luis Obispo to north of San Francisco, Monterey, Carmel, Napa and more. There's skiing, biking, surfing, kite flying, rock climbing, hiking, swimming, and on and on. I grew up in Monterey and still think it's one of the most spectacular spots on earth. the trees, the rocks and the ocean are just heavenly. Monterey also hosts the best aquarium in the world, and in Carmel, there are more art galleries than you can imagine. If you have interest in things to do here in San Francisco, check out my blog for alternative things to do www.QuirkySanFrancisco.com. I love shooting photos here and then writing about things to to ... instead of goofy, predictable tourist traps.
If you, or anyone, want more info about this part of the world, just let me know.
Randy
Reply to this The US is a huge playland few people really take the time to explore adequately. Sure, you can hit the big cities and hit the big price tag that goes right along with it or you can hot the road and find a side of America few people ever get to discover. I have been from coast to coast and have seen only a small portion of what America really has to offer. You can hit the popular tourist haunts and have a great time or you can do things a little bit different.
I know few people can reccommend the state of Utah, but there are 5 National Parks in this gem of a state. My favorite National Park is Bryce Canyon in Southern Utah. It is the most magical spot on earth.
Want to try something a little different. Try taking the OLD route 66. Start in Chicago, Il and finish in Santa Monica, Ca. You can buy maps which will route you through some of the deserted towns of the "Mother Road". There are many major cities to keep you entertained along the way. Be sure to spend some time in the small towns as well. Vega, Texas has a population of just over 800 people and each of them has a story. Stop in some of the local diners and coffee shops to get a good sample of small town America.
Reply to this Here are some of my personal recommendations for cities to visit...
Seattle, WA (my hometown)
San Fransisco, CA
San Diego, CA
Annapolis, MD
New York, NY
Washington D.C.
Nashville, TN
I see that you were asking about taking a train to get to a few of the East Coast points. Most of the major cities have a subway or bus system which can get you around.
My 2 favorites are:
San Diego is the total surfer getaway. It has one of the most relaxed and laid-back feelings to it. You can just lounge on the beach or stroll down the boardwalk eating ice cream. There is SeaWorld if that fancies you. And Anaheim, home to Disneyland, isn't too far off.
Seattle, birthplace to Starbucks and grunge music (acts like Nirvana & Jimi Hendrix), has a very eclectic feeling to it. There is Pike Place Market, an open air "flea market" of sorts. There are the vendors that have been there for nearly 50 years and then you have the mom & pop shops as well. There is plenty of food, flowers & fish 😊. Seattle has a bustling waterfront too, I would highly recommend eating at Ivar's if you like seafood.
Let me know if you have any other questions & happy planning.
Reply to this My fiance and I went on a 3-month cross country road trip in 2006-07 and kept a travel blog: http://patrinadoestheusa.blogspot.com/
There's lots of info about various destinations across the US. And on the landing page you will find a list of our favorites (and least favorites).
I will also give a big vote to Boston. We ended up here at the end of those three months and absolutely love it!
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