US help.

[dude123]

Left over 8000usd. Anyone looking to change usd can PM me. Thanks

 

[gtangang]

Not better to take it to currency exchange place?

Left over 8000usd. Anyone looking to change usd can PM me. Thanks

 

[Shiny Things]

Hello guys!

We're a family of 5 visiting west coast in the beginning of May 2020 (parents in their 60s, 3 adults in 20-30s).
Interested in abit of everything - chillax, shopping, sight-seeing (grand canyon esp), food, and 'route 66'. Probably not doing any hikes this trip.

Excellent, we can help you out.

I'd warn you that this is a very short trip, especially with sixty-somethings who are going to be on the slow side. You're going to be cramming a lot in.

Day 1 Wed
Pick up car

Don't pick up the car until you have to. In LA you're better off Lyfting everywhere. Also, pick one hotel and stay in it for a couple nights, rather than bouncing around all over the city.

On day 4: trust me, Barstow sucks. Push on to Laughlin instead, and stay in one of the casinos overlooking the river; that'll give you a head start on the next day's adventure as well, because...

Day 5 Sun
Route 66 (Kingman, Oatman, William)
Accom: Historic Route 66 Motel Seligman

This one is a bit overrated. "Route 66" through Arizona is just miles and miles of Interstate-40, and it's very quick. I'd suggest two changes:

1) Push on further than Seligman: head to Meteor Crater! It's only a half-hour east of Flagstaff, and is absolutely worth the visit;
2) Stay in Flagstaff instead of Seligman, which is literally the middle of nowhere and has nothing to recommend it. Flagstaff at least has the Lowell Observatory.

Day 6
Drive to Grand Canyon South Rim
Mather point, Yavapai point, Mary Colter's lookout, Trail view point, Maricopa point, Powell point, Hopi point, Mohave point, The abyss, Monument creek vista, Hermit's rest viewpoint, Hermit's rest village
Accom: Kachina Lodge

I think at this point you're getting a little bit over-ambitious: trying to see too many things in too few days. Try this instead:

Day 6: Grand Canyon South Rim (half a day, be selective about where you stop). Sleep in Page (and stop over at the Cameron Trading Post on the way from the Grand Canyon to Page, for some kickass souvenirs and fry bread.)

Day 7: Antelope Canyon in the morning; drive to Springdale in the afternoon. Make sure you come down through Mount Carmel Junction; the drive down through Zion is gorgeous. Sleep in Springdale (I like the Cable Mountain Lodge, because it's right next to the National Park entry).

Be careful with this bit. May is still early in the year enough that some roads may be a bit snowy and slippery.

Day 8: Zion all day. In the evening, drive back to Vegas (2.5 hours).

Day 9: Vegas. Go hard on the outlet shopping today; skip the Desert Springs outlets. (It's all the same stuff anyway!)

Day 10: Drive back to LA. I lloooooovvveeee Palm Springs, but I also love midcentury-modern design and old-Hollywood glamour; if you don't like those things (and you don't like hiking) then it may not be your jam. Dump the car. Stay on the west side... Santa Monica or Marina del Rey.

Day 11: If you've got time, cram in a tour of the Warner studios in Burbank. It's the best of the studio tours: much more insidery than Universal, and less boring than Paramount.

For day 6, are the viewing points achievable all together by driving through + some short walks? I plotted them purely based on google maps at the moment.

Yeah, but... chill out. Just pick a few nice ones, you don't need to stop at every viewpoint.

Day 8 - hope to be able to drive through (with stops and some walks at viewpoints) Zion NP.

You can, but the best way to do it is to spend a night in Springdale. You can walk into the park itself and catch a very convenient shuttlebus that takes you to all the nicest parts of the valley.

 

[eleutheromania]

How to check if the baggage is checked through at United Air website?
Going to transit sfo then den.
Some booking website mentioned not check through.

Everyone has to clear immigration at their first point of entry in the US.

 

[tulipkiss]

Excellent, we can help you out.

I'd warn you that this is a very short trip, especially with sixty-somethings who are going to be on the slow side. You're going to be cramming a lot in.

Thanks so much for your suggestions! Yes, it's a relatively short trip and we are definitely gonna take things slower without much outdoor sights / activities / hikes due to my parents' health condition.

Don't pick up the car until you have to. In LA you're better off Lyfting everywhere. Also, pick one hotel and stay in it for a couple nights, rather than bouncing around all over the city.

Yes! We've booked a hotel in hollywood for LA.
However, still undecided about the car rental dates. Having a car may be cheaper than Lyft? Currently booked a caravan for Day 1-11, about sgd90/day incl. insurance and roadside assistance (free cancellation).

This one is a bit overrated. "Route 66" through Arizona is just miles and miles of Interstate-40, and it's very quick. I'd suggest two changes:

1) Push on further than Seligman: head to Meteor Crater! It's only a half-hour east of Flagstaff, and is absolutely worth the visit;
2) Stay in Flagstaff instead of Seligman, which is literally the middle of nowhere and has nothing to recommend it. Flagstaff at least has the Lowell Observatory.

I totally agree. Nonetheless, Route 66 is the husband's "bucket list", thus the "non-negotiable" 2 days catered to it and the Historic Route 66 Motel stay at Seligman.. I've warned him and the whole family about how the section we're passing through is pretty much just a desert area.

Meteor crater appeals to me though! Gonna see if we can pay a visit there before going to GC

Day 6: Grand Canyon South Rim (half a day, be selective about where you stop). Sleep in Page (and stop over at the Cameron Trading Post on the way from the Grand Canyon to Page, for some kickass souvenirs and fry bread.)

You mean not staying over at Grand Canyon at all?
Definitely stopping at Cameron Trading Post - looks good!

Day 9: Vegas. Go hard on the outlet shopping today; skip the Desert Springs outlets. (It's all the same stuff anyway!)

Is it Las Vegas North Premium Outlets you're referring to?

Day 10: Drive back to LA. I lloooooovvveeee Palm Springs, but I also love midcentury-modern design and old-Hollywood glamour; if you don't like those things (and you don't like hiking) then it may not be your jam. Dump the car. Stay on the west side... Santa Monica or Marina del Rey.

We're are planning to "hike" to the Arch Rock because that seems like the easiest trail, which my parents can do!

 

[Shiny Things]

However, still undecided about the car rental dates. Having a car may be cheaper than Lyft? Currently booked a caravan for Day 1-11, about sgd90/day incl. insurance and roadside assistance (free cancellation).

Wrangling that thing around Los Angeles and trying to find places to park is going to be a huge pain, and Lyft is pretty cheap. Trust me, don't get the car until you have to.

You mean not staying over at Grand Canyon at all?

Yeah. I'd stay in Flagstaff (or Seligman, I guess, but really, Flagstaff!), and then do Flagstaff -> Grand Canyon Village -> Cameron -> Page in a day.

Is it Las Vegas North Premium Outlets you're referring to?

Yeah - but, again, trust me on this, all outlet malls are basically the same. You've seen one, you've seen them all.

 

[DriftKing]

Anyone tried National car rental (with Executive/ Executive elite status) ?

Planning a trip to SF, LA, LV between 16 Oct to 30 Oct, car rental pickup at SFO and return LAX end to end, sadly only I'm the one driving all the way.

In between SF - Yosemite - LV - Grand Canyon - Antelop - LV - LA.

 

[iamneverenough]

Hi all, just wondering Is 1.6k round trip to USA considered expensive? Flight SIA with stopover at Frankfurt.

And does anyone have any hotel to recommend in NYC and San Fran? Check on agoda and the prices are so expensive even for hostel also need $180

 

[Shiny Things]

Hi all, just wondering Is 1.6k round trip to USA considered expensive? Flight SIA with stopover at Frankfurt.

That seems about normal for SQ. You might be able to find cheaper flights on other airlines though: Google Flights is very good for this sort of thing.

And does anyone have any hotel to recommend in NYC and San Fran? Check on agoda and the prices are so expensive even for hostel also need $180

I'll say to you what we say to everyone who asks that question on this thread: what are your dates? Hotel prices can swing by 2x or 3x depending on your check-in and check-out dates—especially here in SF, where the hotels love to jack their prices up through the roof for stays that coincide with a big tech conference like Dreamforce or Oracle Openworld.

 

[fzhfzh]

Hi all, just wondering Is 1.6k round trip to USA considered expensive? Flight SIA with stopover at Frankfurt.

And does anyone have any hotel to recommend in NYC and San Fran? Check on agoda and the prices are so expensive even for hostel also need $180

1.6k is about there. If you travel on low peak could get much cheaper though. I paid for less than 600 dollars round trip before in February-March.

 

[patryn33]

Hi all, just wondering Is 1.6k round trip to USA considered expensive? Flight SIA with stopover at Frankfurt.

And does anyone have any hotel to recommend in NYC and San Fran? Check on agoda and the prices are so expensive even for hostel also need $180

When are u going? a little expensive but if u don’t want what’s your option? Other airline or diff time or just don’t go?

 

[patryn33]

1.6k is about there. If you travel on low peak could get much cheaper though. I paid for less than 600 dollars round trip before in February-March.

$600 round trip to LA or NYC on SIA? When was that?

Now March timing fly Xiamen airlines to LA is like usd$450. But it’s 2
25hr go and 45hr back!

 

[fzhfzh]

$600 round trip to LA or NYC on SIA? When was that?

Now March timing fly Xiamen airlines to LA is like usd$450. But it’s 2
25hr go and 45hr back!

SQ could reach similar price as well, maybe a bit more at 600. But airlines usually have periods where their tickets go on sale and not really fixed months every year.

 

[patryn33]

SQ could reach similar price as well, maybe a bit more at 600. But airlines usually have periods where their tickets go on sale and not really fixed months every year.

So You saying u didn’t paid that price on SQ
I think he asking if $1600 cheap on SQ, not if $1600 cheap to fly to USA.

 

[Rxgn]

$700+ round ticket on china air
$1000+ round ticket on united
$1300+ round ticket on sia

Sent from Samsung SM-A705MN using GAGT

 

[fzhfzh]

So You saying u didn’t paid that price on SQ
I think he asking if $1600 cheap on SQ, not if $1600 cheap to fly to USA.

I’m saying I paid 600 on sq, not 450.

 

[tulipkiss]

Hi all, just wondering Is 1.6k round trip to USA considered expensive? Flight SIA with stopover at Frankfurt.

And does anyone have any hotel to recommend in NYC and San Fran? Check on agoda and the prices are so expensive even for hostel also need $180

For reference, I got SQ premium econ, round trip, direct to LA for 1.3k. Booked in Oct, travelling in May. My colleague booked hers for 1.1k in Oct, travelled in Dec.

Same for San Fran PE flghts, starting 1.3k for May period I was looking at.

NY PE was abit pricier, starting 1.6k.

Hope that helps!

 

[xtwis7]

1.3-1.6k on PEY is very good price

For reference, I got SQ premium econ, round trip, direct to LA for 1.3k. Booked in Oct, travelling in May. My colleague booked hers for 1.1k in Oct, travelled in Dec.

Same for San Fran PE flghts, starting 1.3k for May period I was looking at.

NY PE was abit pricier, starting 1.6k.

Hope that helps!

 

[illumnae]

Hi everyone! I have to be in LA for exams at the end of July and decided to make a trip out of it, so looking at maybe spending up to 2 weeks around California area. Trip will be with my wife who has a slight walking disability so we can't do too strenuous or adventurous stuff. It's kind of our first time touring USA (I've been there once for work a few years ago). I really need help in planning itinerary as I have really no idea what to do and need to book plane tickets soon. Here's the parameters I have to work with:

- Probably best to fly in and out from LA?
- No self drive, probably will Uber around due to wife's condition
- My exams are on 28 and 29 July, so I need to be in LA these 2 days with nothing else planned
- I plan to arrive in California at least a few days before my exams to get over jet lag. This period ok to do light/simple activities around the area
- My friend taking the same exam is joining us for 3 to 4 days after the exam, plan is to go to San Diego for these few days as my wife and friend both want to visit the San Diego zoo

Other than the above we are totally blank on what to do so would appreciate all help and recommendations!

Thank you in advance

 

[patryn33]

LA to San Diego, since u not driving... u flying? Not tried Uber long distance.

What’s you plan traveling between cities?
2 weeks, you asking what to do around LA and San Diego?

Can you define strenuous? Can walk 1km? Or issue if more.
I understand hike uneven terrain is no go
Into shopping? Walk and rest kind ?