Help me decide where in the USA to visit next summer!

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  • TexasPatriot
    TexasPatriot Posts: 63 Member
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    You could fly into Houston Texas rent a car and drive to New Orleans and then over to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. My wife and I had the same dilemma when we went to the UK. So we toured from London down to the stonehenge then to Cardiff and then up to Northern Wales before coming back to London.

    So, there is a lot to do and see is the point. I highly recommend renting a car and driving.
  • EmbraceTheDarkSide
    EmbraceTheDarkSide Posts: 514 Member
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    Honestly, it all depends on whether you want to visit a lot of places and get a little taste of it all or go to a few places (or one place) and really experience it there.

    My guess is that it is the former. I would recommend (depending on your budget) to go to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and LA. Each has something distinct for you to experience.

    NY: 2 days: See the major museums, visit Central Park, go to a Broadway musical, visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, walk around Midtown, do other touristy things... there are so many that it is hard to list.

    Chicago: 1.5 days: Visit Navy Pier, go to the top of the Sears Tower, go to a Cubs game, visit some of the awesome museums there as well
  • Cameron_1969
    Cameron_1969 Posts: 2,857 Member
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    I'm a sightseer type myself. . great outdoors, rather than urban jungle. . I'd pick Yellowstone. . It's sitting on top of a Volcanic Caldera (basically a massive state-sized volcano). . the Geo-thermal features are unbelievable and the wildlife is out of this world.
  • tapirfrog
    tapirfrog Posts: 616 Member
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    I'm sorry, but on what planet is San Diego a tourist destination?

    My planet. I love the Thai food in the university district, and I spent three days at the zoo staring at the tapirs. I got to know a little bit about their nap schedules, and I watched one of them spray pee on a group of old women.
  • EmbraceTheDarkSide
    EmbraceTheDarkSide Posts: 514 Member
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    I'm sorry, but on what planet is San Diego a tourist destination?

    My planet. I love the Thai food in the university district, and I spent three days at the zoo staring at the tapirs. I got to know a little bit about their nap schedules, and I watched one of them spray pee on a group of old women.

    Ugh....
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    Southeastern Utah is beautiful. Arches and Canyonlands National Parks are both very close to Moab. You can camp at either, if you like, or stay at a hotel in Moab, Utah and drive in each day. There are a lot of trails for hiking, and make sure you take a camera with a huge memory because you'll be taking tons of photos. It's 'red rock country' (the rocks are actually red ... lots of sandstone) and natural-formed arches and bridges and other rock formations are all around.

    It does get very hot there in August, easily into the upper 90s. It's also quite dry (humidity in the teens or lower) so plan on having lots of water with you on your adventures - there is running water in the campsites, I believe, so you don't have to pack it all in, but on the hikes it's easy to get dehydrated if you don't plan properly. Still, well worth it!

    Grand Canyon is a few hours south, in Arizona, so if you have the time/money you could possibly hit both. (A few days in Moab area, a few days in Grand Canyon)
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    I'm English, but my sister and I went to the US in 2003. We started off in San Francisco, then rented a car and drove to LA, then went on to Vegas, and flew back from there. In SF we did the usual tourist things - walked around, went on a tram, visited Alcatraz, did a bay cruise, went to Fisherman's Wharf, went to Golden Gate park etc. I really loved it there because you can walk a lot and explore.

    Driving to LA was lovely too, on the Pacific Coast Highway. If I did it again I'd stop off for longer in Santa Cruz. We did spend the night in a little cabin in Big Sur somewhere (I think. That wasn't booked in advance.)

    LA itself was a bit disappointing, so I'd spend less time there. We stayed near Venice Beach, and it was nice hiring a bike to cycle around there. Santa Monica was worth a visit. Hollywood was a big let down.

    Vegas was definitely worth a visit, but I'm not sure I'd go back there.

    I'd like to have headed further South, to San Diego, as I've heard it's lovely there.

    If I went to the US again, I'd like to go to New England.

    I'm going to agree with most of this post. Coming down from San Fran to LA along the coast is beauty. In a train it's drunken responsibility free beauty. Stay somewhere along the way if you drive that's a good idea too. Venice is not nor ever has been my personal favorite but mostly any other beach, I like. Try Huntington or Redondo for something casual but off the beaten tourist path. If you must say where you went and it must be a name, try Malibu or something. For a truly eye opening vacation experience to write home about try Black's Beach. (you can thank/kill me later)

    As far as LA sucking just don't come here again. Please and thank you.

    As for Las Vegas being a dissappointment, it's not California so that's okay you feel that way (get a map). Plus really it's too much for one trip. I think the ideal way to see Cali is top to bottom San Fran, LA, San Diego area. Make sure you see chinatown, koreatown, and hotel del/legoland respectively.

    To me that also lets you fly in and out of NON LAX airports and if you take the train down the coast you can keep your foreign driving off our roads. We have enough traffic problems as it is without you europeans driving all backwards and autobahn style. (amtrack.com) For the best experience take a hint from the Canadians and show up sans any pretentious accents or elitist attitudes. Please and thank you.

    ETA: you could also take the train from LA to San Diego along the coast and depending on the time of the year you might get mooned by the locals in San Clemente.
  • Sharonmdenham
    Sharonmdenham Posts: 163 Member
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    Hi everyone, was just wondering if anyone could suggest a good destination in the US to visit next August (2015). My partner and I are 21 and 25, we're from the UK and would love to visit the US... but there are so many places to choose from it's difficult to decide! We've briefly looked into Florida, California and New York, but thought I'd ask here and see if I could get some advice from people who actually live in the US, who can maybe recommend states/places that are interesting and maybe not so typically touristy.

    We would just love somewhere with hot weather, interesting stuff to see and do (vague but we are open to any kind of place!), with nice bars and with good vegan food available!

    Any suggestions would be lovely, thank you in advance :)


    California definitely has lots of vegan restaurants, San Francisco is lovely in August, lots to do in San Francisco, the Napa Valley wine country is close and then Lake Tahoe is close too and very beautiful and relaxing. Then you could drive down the coast highway stopping in Monterey and Santa Barbara before getting to Los Angeles. Or you could do Los Angeles and San Diego, there is a lot of touristy amusement park type stuff to do there. If you want beaches to lay out on Southern California because the water is too cold in Northern California. Since I grew up in the Southern California area I prefer the San Francisco, Napa, Lake Tahoe area to vacation. Have fun planning!
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
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    I'm sorry, but on what planet is San Diego a tourist destination?

    My planet. I love the Thai food in the university district, and I spent three days at the zoo staring at the tapirs. I got to know a little bit about their nap schedules, and I watched one of them spray pee on a group of old women.

    Ugh....

    Sounds like a winner! :laugh:
  • Bruceapple
    Bruceapple Posts: 2,026 Member
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    Savannah, Georgia, nice history, walkable city, beach, food fun bars
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    I'm sorry, but on what planet is San Diego a tourist destination?

    My planet. I love the Thai food in the university district, and I spent three days at the zoo staring at the tapirs. I got to know a little bit about their nap schedules, and I watched one of them spray pee on a group of old women.

    Ugh....

    Sounds like a winner! :laugh:

    Thanks for advertising California so wonderfully, we really should make piss T shirts now.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Savannah, Georgia, nice history, walkable city, beach, food fun bars

    Agreed, but hellishy hot/humid in summer as I recall, no?
  • tapirfrog
    tapirfrog Posts: 616 Member
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    if you take the train down the coast you can keep your foreign driving off our roads. We have enough traffic problems as it is without you europeans driving all backwards and autobahn style. (amtrack.com) For the best experience take a hint from the Canadians and show up sans any pretentious accents or elitist attitudes

    Sorry, OP. People are a-holes to foreigners wherever you go but I've heard it expressed really loudly in the US.
  • tapirfrog
    tapirfrog Posts: 616 Member
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    I'm sorry, but on what planet is San Diego a tourist destination?

    My planet. I love the Thai food in the university district, and I spent three days at the zoo staring at the tapirs. I got to know a little bit about their nap schedules, and I watched one of them spray pee on a group of old women.

    Ugh....

    Sounds like a winner! :laugh:

    Thanks for advertising California so wonderfully, we really should make piss T shirts now.

    I bet all the tapir keepers in the zoo would be the first to buy them!
  • jodetheblode
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    Your going to have such a great time! If you want to explore West Coast, there are easy direct flights from UK to Seattle. I would spend a few days in downtown Seattle (take the Ferry to San Juan Islands for a day). Seattle caters to the vegan lifestyle and has great food. Next, take an easy direct flight to Las Vegas and spend a few days there. Rent a car from Las Vegas and drive to Los Angeles/Orange County San Diego Area. You could stay on Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach or Coranado. Use your car to explore the Southern California coastline. Fly from LAX to UK. That itinerary would give you nice variety from Northwest trees and mountains, to lights and nightlife to beaches. Everywhere on the west coast will have good vegan options. NYC is fantastic too!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Southeastern Utah is beautiful. Arches and Canyonlands National Parks are both very close to Moab. You can camp at either, if you like, or stay at a hotel in Moab, Utah and drive in each day. There are a lot of trails for hiking, and make sure you take a camera with a huge memory because you'll be taking tons of photos. It's 'red rock country' (the rocks are actually red ... lots of sandstone) and natural-formed arches and bridges and other rock formations are all around.

    It does get very hot there in August, easily into the upper 90s. It's also quite dry (humidity in the teens or lower) so plan on having lots of water with you on your adventures - there is running water in the campsites, I believe, so you don't have to pack it all in, but on the hikes it's easy to get dehydrated if you don't plan properly. Still, well worth it!

    Grand Canyon is a few hours south, in Arizona, so if you have the time/money you could possibly hit both. (A few days in Moab area, a few days in Grand Canyon)

    Utah was not even one of the options. Stop trying to horn your B-List states in on here.
  • nmtGurl
    nmtGurl Posts: 159 Member
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    New England! Very nice in the summer.

    Boston has loads of history (and good food.) I've been to London and you will feel right at home, the cities are similar (obviously, lol!)

    Drive an hour or two North and you can be in Lakes Region or White Mountains of New Hampshire. To the East you can be in Maine and shop at the outlet malls and enjoy lobster/seafood galore. To the South in Massachusetts, you can enjoy the beaches of Cape Cod and the Islands. To the West, the smallest state, Rhode Island. Then there is Connecticut. And if you have time, take the 5 hr drive or train to NYC.
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
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    I'm sorry, but on what planet is San Diego a tourist destination?

    My planet. I love the Thai food in the university district, and I spent three days at the zoo staring at the tapirs. I got to know a little bit about their nap schedules, and I watched one of them spray pee on a group of old women.

    Ugh....

    Sounds like a winner! :laugh:

    Thanks for advertising California so wonderfully, we really should make piss T shirts now.

    Well I heard San Diego means a whale's vagina.

    Sounds lovely in the Summer.

    (PS, if you want people to visit, talk about the beautiful beaches, the great surfing, the marinas, and the mexican food.)
  • fheppy
    fheppy Posts: 64 Member
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    California and Nevada will be very hot so i would avoid that in August. consider the longer flight as well, because its very tiresome to fly such long hours. I would go to NY or somewhere along that coast.
    In California I also found the sea very cold no matter which month. if you love swimming then its fine as its swimming temperature (about 20C).
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    if you take the train down the coast you can keep your foreign driving off our roads. We have enough traffic problems as it is without you europeans driving all backwards and autobahn style. (amtrack.com) For the best experience take a hint from the Canadians and show up sans any pretentious accents or elitist attitudes

    Sorry, OP. People are a-holes to foreigners wherever you go but I've heard it expressed really loudly in the US.

    This was not directed for the OP this was for the person who said LA was a dissappointment. Maybe she didn't have enough money to really enjoy everything LA has to offer and to add insult to injury she probably drove all stupid here the whole time and then went home and said LA blows. No, HER experience in LA blew and she probably cut me off someplace driving all stupid. I know the type, I see them everyday. Stay home then THOSE people, the rest of you cool awesome tourists are welcome but seriously LA driving is NOT for the faint of heart and tourists do not have a learning curve time frame so yeah the more you can do other things the better. There are a MYRIAD of transportation options in LA. Start out by asking your travel agent before you go and then your concierge when you get here. Things will go so much smoother.