US help.

[hicheerios]

For SF,U might want to consider add al catraz night tour. Book online early.

Thanks.. Will give al catraz a miss since I find abit eerie. Am looking at the submarine tour thou.

Should I get the GO PASS in San fran?

 

[gerald85]

One other thing to add, if you do decide to do the drive, is that it's going to be really dark, especially once you get out of greater Los Angeles and up toward the Mojave National Preserve. There's literally nothing there... and that's what makes it special.

If you're feeling really brave, pull off the freeway at the Shell station at Cima Road, exit 272 off I-15 - you'll probably get there about 1am or so, so it's a great place for your second coffee break. Grab another coffee, then move away from the lights of the service station a bit - maybe drive down Cima Road a little - and just look up.

One of the things you never see in Singapore: you never see the night sky. It's always either raining, light-polluted, or both. But out in the Mojave, there's no clouds, no rain, and no light pollution, because you're hundreds of miles away from the nearest big cities; the Mojave has the darkest skies of anywhere in the continental USA, except for a few spots right in the middle of Nevada. Once you give your eyes a few minutes to adjust to the darkness, this is what you're in for.

Well i will be there for a week before my wife join me. So jetlag should be ok by then. Just worry about it too dark and driving for 4 to 5 hours. Will probably be too dangerous. Think should get a hotel first and drive in the morning

 

[Shiny Things]

Saw alot of gurus here.. would need advise from west coast US gurus.

Any idea where to buy the SIM card in San fran? I will be in US for about 3weeks.. not sure which operator to buy from. Can advise?

Get your SIM card from the T-Mobile store at the corner of Market Street and Third Street. They're used to dealing with overseas visitors; they'll hook you up with a SIM with good amounts of data and one month's worth of unlimited calls and text for about $50, and they'll even set it up for you before you leave the store.

I used to recommend AT&T for this, but lately they've been weirdly useless; I've gone in there saying "can you hook me up with a prepaid SIM, my parents are visiting for a month" and they've been like "what?". So, save yourself some headaches and use T-Mo; their network is slightly smaller, but this shouldn't be a problem in the big cities at least.

Day 4 SF - Outlet shopping

You can do this without leaving the city: there's a Saks Fifth Off Fifth and a Neiman Marcus Last Call right in the middle of town, both on Market Street. No need to go all the way to Napa or Gilroy.

Day 5 SF - Sonoma Wineries

My fave way to do this: drive to Yountville, buy a packed lunch, then rent a bike and go riding around all the great wineries in that part of the valley. You've got Caymus, Paraduxx, Cliff Lede, and the big daddy Opus One all within a single 7- or 8-mile loop that you can easily do in a half-day.

Day 15 Las Vegas - Outlet shopping
Day 16 Las Vegas - Outlet shopping

You've got a pretty long time in Vegas - normally three nights there is enough for me. Given that, I'd say it's worth putting in a couple more day trips; head out to the Valley of Fire one of these days, it's magical.

Also don't forget to see some shows. Check who's playing at the Caesars Colosseum - usually it's Celine Dion or Elton John these days; and beg, borrow, steal, do whatever you have to to get tickets to Penn and Teller at the Rio. (Pay the extra $10 or so for seats in the first three rows - it's totally, totally worth it.)

 

[Hisashiburi]

Day 9 n 10 can be combined as Monterey is very close to SF.

Town of Carmel is also pretty n worth a visit.
It is between Monterey n Cambria.

Day 15 n 16 can also be combined.
2 days of outlet shopping seems quite a bit much.

Saw alot of gurus here.. would need advise from west coast US gurus.

Any idea where to buy the SIM card in San fran? I will be in US for about 3weeks.. not sure which operator to buy from. Can advise?

Thanks.

My itinerary as follows.. any recommendations or advise that I must see?

Day 1 Arrive @ SFO midnight
Day 2 SF
Day 3 SF
Day 4 SF - Outlet shopping
Day 5 SF - Sonoma Wineries
Day 6 SF
Day 7 SF (Friends Visit)
Day 8 SF (Friends Visit)
Day 9 SF/ Monterey thru Highway 1
Day 10 Monterey - Aquarium
Day 11 Monterey/Cambria
Day 12 Cambria/ LV
Day 13 Las Vegas - Grand canyon visit
Day 14 Las Vegas - Hoover dam visit
Day 15 Las Vegas - Outlet shopping
Day 16 Las Vegas - Outlet shopping
Day 17 LV/LA
Day 18 LA - Hollywood visit / griffin park
Day 19 LA - Santo monice/venice beach
Day 20 LA - Universal studios visit
Day 21 LA - rodeo drive/beverly hills/ natural history museum
Day 22 Leaving LA - SIN

 

[hicheerios]

Thanks Shiny for the detailed explanation.

Just notice the concert dates are pretty booked in las Vegas Never knew have to book much in advance. I saw that in Las vegas, there's a red rock canyon. Between this and valley of fire. Which is more interesting?


Any advice on SF visit? what are the must do for 1st timer? Any idea if passing the city pass is good idea too?

 

[xtc 88]

Hi shiny things and USA gurus

saw your knowledgeable post on all things USA

planning a 16 day trip include travel time--in this Dec
Sin to SFO
LAX to Sing

looking at self drive after last day in SF - yosemite -LV-grand canyon-deaths valley, monument valley, zion park ,bryce , route 66 etc to LA disney & beach ---feasible or have to give up some

more into wonder of nature like canyons + beach + just a little of shopping + Not into wine

will it be too cold to drive this time?

any iterninary to suggest to see the main highlight place ( not to be miss type) and to maximised the travel time to see effectively more things
as not well verse in USA attraction /town .

by the way we are travel in group of 4 pax .. any accommodation tip to search for hotel or motel with 4 pax in a room as most is 2 in a room

Day 1 Sing to SF

Day 2 SF

Day 3 SF pick car and start travel downward to final end point LA but first reach Yosemite park

Day 4 _yosemite

Day 5 -yosemite ?

day 6 -pls suggest


day 13

Day 14- Disney
Day 15 -West side LA
Day 16 -LAX to sing


Regards

 

[patryn33]

Just notice the concert dates are pretty booked in las Vegas Never knew have to book much in advance. I saw that in Las vegas, there's a red rock canyon. Between this and valley of fire. Which is more interesting?

just a heads up Caymus and opus are in Rutherford- Napa. if U plan on going to these wineries, its Napa, don't drive to Sonoma and cannot find these wineries

if its really sonoma, U must have seen this
http://www.sonomacounty.com/articles/13-sonoma-county-wineries-you-should-know

Off fifth and last call prices are higher than your outlet, they are not big but your CK Tang size

 

[EdgeofAddiction]

Planning to go the US by train from Montreal. Just curious, will i be denied entry since i have a muslim name?

 

[Shiny Things]

looking at self drive after last day in SF - yosemite -LV-grand canyon-deaths valley, monument valley, zion park ,bryce , route 66 etc to LA disney & beach ---feasible or have to give up some

more into wonder of nature like canyons + beach + just a little of shopping + Not into wine

Yep, then your itinerary is pretty good. There's a few things you won't be able to hit, but ten days is a nice compromise - let's see what we can do for you.

will it be too cold to drive this time?

Fair question. You won't be able to get over the back of Yosemite (Tioga Pass is going to be snowed in); you almost certainly won't be able to get up to Bryce Canyon; and the Grand Canyon South Rim is going to be a coin-flip (I've been there in October and it's been snowy). Carry snow chains for your car just in case (or get a 4WD), but everything else should be fair game.

by the way we are travel in group of 4 pax .. any accommodation tip to search for hotel or motel with 4 pax in a room as most is 2 in a room

Most places will be fine with this - but also, roadside accommodation is cheap.

Let's see what you can do with eleven nights on the road in the great American West...

Day 1: SF to Yosemite. If you leave SF early, you'll have plenty of time to spend the day in Yosemite enjoying the chill (make sure you pack warm!). If you can't get a room in the national park itself for the night, get a room down the hill in Mariposa or Merced.

Day 2: Drive down through Bakersfield to Death Valley National Park (you'll get there late in the evening, trust me, that is a LOOOONG drive, and don't skimp on fuel; once you get past Bakersfield it's pretty bleak). Try to get a room at the Furnace Creek Ranch, which is lovely.

Day 3: Spend the morning seeing the sights in Death Valley - Badwater (the lowest and hottest point in America), Zabriskie Point (a magical overlook), and the Artist's Palette. Then drive out of Death Valley and head for Las Vegas (stopping on the way at the Area 51 Truck Stop and Brothel, just because); spend the night in Vegas (it'll be dirt-cheap in December, so splurge on a nice room in a nice hotel).

Day 4: From your base in Vegas, head out to Red Rock Canyon for the day. In the evening, either treat yourself in your hotel's spa, or go out and catch a show (see below re: Penn and Teller at the Rio).

Pro tip: if you want the best view of the famous Bellagio fountains, go to Hyde nightclub early in the evening, between five and six p.m.; that time of the night you'll have no trouble getting a seat on the outside patio, literally right behind the fountains, where you can enjoy a cocktail and laugh at all the suckers crowded along the Strip on the other side.

Day 5: You can do another day in Vegas if you want, or hit the road and head for Zion Canyon. Stop off at the Valley of Fire on the way for some epic scenery; then press on through Arizona and into Utah. For the easiest access to Zion, stay in the little town of Springdale, right at the park entrance; if you get a room at the Cable Mountain Lodge you can literally walk across a bridge and into the park, or if you're further up town (the Desert Pearl Inn is fab), there's a shuttle bus that takes you to the park entrance.

If Springdale is snowed in, you can stay down the hill in St. George; there's lots of cheap motels there, and you can drive up the hill when the roads re-open.

Day 6: Spend a day in Zion. You've earned it. (I've never done Zion in the winter, so I'm not sure what's open and what isn't, but: post photos when you get back!).

Day 7: Normally at this point I'd tell people to head out the back of Zion and up to Bryce Canyon, but this might be tough. As an alternative, you can get from Zion to Bryce the long way round, through Colorado City and Kanab; this road should be clear even in the winter. (I've driven that road while it was snowing, in a two-wheel-drive sports car, with no chains. It was totally fine, but I needed a change of pants afterward.)

Bryce Canyon NP itself might be snowed in; you'll want to check in advance re: what's open in the park.

Day 8: At this point, it's a bit of a sprint to get back to Los Angeles. Head down to the lil' town of Page, and drop into Antelope Canyon.

Day 9: Head to the big daddy: Grand Canyon Village, on the south rim. This may be quite snowy - the south rim of the Grand Canyon gets surprisingly snowy, and the north rim closes entirely in winter - so drive carefully; stop over at the Cameron Trading Post on the way for souvenirs.

Day 10: Explore the Grand Canyon, then get on the road late in the afternoon. Push on as far west as you can, then bail for the night. Your destination is:

Day 11: Palm Springs, home of 50s Hollywood glamour. Get here, take a tour of the stars' homes, and have a well-earned sleep.

The good thing about ending this trip in Palm Springs is that you're over on the west side of Los Angeles, a quick hour-and-a-half drive from Anaheim, which is where Disneyland is.

Enjoy!

Thanks Shiny for the detailed explanation.

Just notice the concert dates are pretty booked in las Vegas

Call your hotel concierge - they might be able to swing you a couple of tickets.

And it depends how far in advance you book - I was sniffing around for some stuff this coming November and even the big shows were wide open.

Never knew have to book much in advance. I saw that in Las vegas, there's a red rock canyon. Between this and valley of fire. Which is more interesting?

I'd pick the Valley of Fire. Both are fantastic; Valley of Fire is a bit further (90 minutes' drive from the Strip instead of 45 for Red Rock); but Valley of Fire is far more spectacular, with huge rock formations that look like someone's spilled giant bottles of paint all over the landscape, and lots of great, quick, easy hikes to all sorts of lookouts and points of interest.

(Also if you're a rev-head, Valley of Fire's a can't-miss: I've been there three times, and two times out of three there's been a car company shooting an ad there because the scenery is so spectacular.)

Any advice on SF visit? what are the must do for 1st timer? Any idea if passing the city pass is good idea too?

How long do you have? There's tons of must-do things, but it depends what you're interested in; museums, shopping, the outdoors, restaurants, bars, wine...?

Planning to go the US by train from Montreal. Just curious, will i be denied entry since i have a muslim name?

It really saddens me that this should even be a question... but no, you should be fine. Expect to get the third degree at the border, but as long as your visa or your ESTA is all in order you should be good.

 

[ceecookie]

Planning to go the US by train from Montreal. Just curious, will i be denied entry since i have a muslim name?

There's no need to apply for ESTA if you're entering by land.

You wont be denied entry, but delays or additional security checks may occur if your name match any of their watch lists as u have to demostrate to CBP officers that you are not the same person as the flagged name in the system.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1258/~/esta---traveling-to-u.s.-by-land

 

[aizutto]

No. No no no. Don't do this. You can't do LA with only the buses and metros; the public transport infrastructure in LA is a disgrace. The Metro doesn't go anywhere you'd want to go (even with the new Metro Line to Santa Monica), and buses in LA are going to take hours and hours.

Either rent a car, or take taxis/Uber.

Aren't those like expensive? I can't drive so I definately cannot rent a car.

 

[fone]

Aren't those like expensive? I can't drive so I definately cannot rent a car.

Then you got no choice but to taxi/uber. Please don't take metro/buses in Los Angeles.

 

[invisible999]

about SIM card in US

Get your SIM card from the T-Mobile

Very latest info - you do not need to purchase US SIM card if you have Starhub prepaid SIM with data.

With Happy Roam on StarHub Mobile Prepaid, you can surf overseas at Singapore data rates on your travels with just one SIM.
Destination Preferred Partners' Network
USA T-Mobile

So get SIM card for $8 and for $12 get 1.2GB data for 30 days. Writing this message from Indonesia while using this setup. No need to buy local SIM cards here any more.

 

[invisible999]

Aren't those like expensive?

So you prefer to be shot/stabbed or mugged at least?

 

[invisible999]

Just curious, will i be denied entry since i have a muslim name?

Where this bullcrap is coming from? My advice - don't listen to Trump.

 

[ceecookie]

My attempt at the automated passport clearance booth today ended up with a big X mark and redirect to the manual cbp booth. So much for automated clearance

 

[Shiny Things]

Aren't those like expensive? I can't drive so I definately cannot rent a car.

In LA, you either suck it up and take taxis/Uber, or you don't go anywhere. The public transport is not up to scratch.

 

[HoCL]

SG credit card

Hi all

We are doing a 18 day road trip in CA in december .. from SF, Yos, DV, GC, LA to SD.

Can I ask whether there is any problem with paying at gas stations using SG credit card ? I read online that the machines will ask for a 5 digit zip code? How do we enter our 6 digit postal code? First 5 digits?

 

[paul02]

My attempt at the automated passport clearance booth today ended up with a big X mark and redirect to the manual cbp booth. So much for automated clearance

(In Singapore) I was able to (after three tries). Apparently you must use more force when pressing down your thumbprint on the device as it is not touch sensitive like our phones.

 

[invisible999]

read online that the machines will ask for a 5 digit zip code? How do we enter our 6 digit postal code? First 5 digits?

You don't - if you try, you will get an error.

Instead, go inside the station and tell the attendant: "xx (dollars/gallons) on yy (pump number) please", like "$20 on pump #4, please". Even if you asked for more than fits into tank, they will send reining funds back.

Couple of points with gas stations: first, at almost all of them will ask you to show your ID (driver's license) when you pay with the card to match your name with the name on the card. So if you have a prepaid card without a name, they will refuse it as a payment.

Secondly, expect problems with ongoing rollout of chip based cards in US and inadequate terminals to read them. On my recent trip about 60% of terminals while had chip reader, that functionality was disabled. As a result, one my card simply did not work in such cases. So make sure that you have couple of cards with you and magnetic strip is enabled on them.