US help.

[xxxjorxxx]

In Southern California, car is best way to get around.
The car rental is also considered cheap. Uber a single trip will cost more than your car rental per day.

In L.A. is "have car will travel", you can consider:
1. factory outlets
2. Beaches, Newport, Santa Monica , Venice, Malibu..all by car on PCH
3. if you into art...plenty of Museum
4. self drive..to Santa Barbara, Vegas, San Diego etc
5. Hotel is ex, consider ABnB
6. theme parks

dunno your interest, else can intro you more ...

 

[illumnae]

Thank you for responding! Will try to provide more information.

For 2 weeks if there's other places recommended to go please advise, LA and SD are just the fixed dates and places I have to be. Everything else is still open

I can drive in Singapore, but I have never driven left hand drive before plus unsure if parking will be an issue that's why I don't dare try. Is it easy even for a first timer? Parking ok?

For my wife walk and rest is ok but slowly - she walks maybe half of normal person speed.
We are not so much into shopping and museums. We like to chill and see the sights, and we like animals and nature. My wife likes theme parks, me not so much haha but if got dolphin or animal shows I can enjoy. We do casual bird photography but I think hard to do without a guide there? I think I saw online somewhere in California can go whale watching your, we would enjoy stuff like that. Factory outlets my friend would like so maybe just half to 1 day?

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 ?

In Southern California, car is best way to get around.
The car rental is also considered cheap. Uber a single trip will cost more than your car rental per day.

In L.A. is "have car will travel", you can consider:
1. factory outlets
2. Beaches, Newport, Santa Monica , Venice, Malibu..all by car on PCH
3. if you into art...plenty of Museum
4. self drive..to Santa Barbara, Vegas, San Diego etc
5. Hotel is ex, consider ABnB
6. theme parks

dunno your interest, else can intro you more ...

 

[patryn33]

Traffic in LA is bad.
Are U staying in LA or suburb?
parking in LA, Torrance bad imho, singapore is bad imho too. LOL
put to perspective singapore size is 278 miles2, LA is 469 miles2, Anaheim is 50miles2. LA-Long Beach-Anaheim metro is 4850 miles2.

with regards to driving, on top the left hand drive. best to read the handbook. there are some things u need to know. some ppl say easy so ppl say hard. most ppl I come across can do it just pay extra attention 1st day or 2.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/driver_handbook_toc

San Diego Zoo, San Diego Sea World is an option.
nature, not going to find in the city. venture out and be driving a bit.
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Sequoia National Forest

Not a bird watcher, if U are passionate about it can hire a guide (http://cooperecotours.com/)
if U just want good spots to go and explore on your own, google and check out reviews.

theme parks the usual Disneyland, Universal Studio.

beach u get Malibu which is like 1hr away from LA.

sure U can go whale watching, u have to check the season. I went whale watching in Hawaii.. well.. you need a Bino or a very good zoom lens. the animal is not going to any where near u. Boats due to safety reasons dont go close as it risk capsizing.
https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/things-to-do/where-to-go-whale-watching-in-los-angeles

not big on shopping then Citadel Outlet is the way to go if U are really in LA.
but if U are like in riverside, then Ontario Mills or Dessert Hills.
but then prices in USA is way cheaper than SG. I have seen not big shopper in SG spending more time in States just because prices are low. If U not tempted by cheap deals half a day is good. some ppl don't even like outlet as they view them inferior quality. if U only want make in USA, Italy and no china skip outlet.

cost of uber is expensive. rides in USA cost more than Singapore. labor cost is expensive.

if not comfortable driving over 3hrs, then U can fly. Say fly to vegas and then take a tour to grand canyon. that is reduce driving if you not comfortable.

 

[xxxjorxxx]

if you like chill, relax = chilax..and scenic view + see whales and sea animals..history

why not travel north? slow drive on Highway 1 along the coast to Monterey bay.

do a search on "Highway One" ...it's a bucket list for many

 

[patryn33]

Which segment of highway 1?
I did San Francisco to Portland Oregon

 

[illumnae]

Traffic in LA is bad.
Are U staying in LA or suburb?
parking in LA, Torrance bad imho, singapore is bad imho too. LOL
put to perspective singapore size is 278 miles2, LA is 469 miles2, Anaheim is 50miles2. LA-Long Beach-Anaheim metro is 4850 miles2.

with regards to driving, on top the left hand drive. best to read the handbook. there are some things u need to know. some ppl say easy so ppl say hard. most ppl I come across can do it just pay extra attention 1st day or 2.
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/hdbk/driver_handbook_toc

San Diego Zoo, San Diego Sea World is an option.
nature, not going to find in the city. venture out and be driving a bit.
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Sequoia National Forest

Not a bird watcher, if U are passionate about it can hire a guide (http://cooperecotours.com/)
if U just want good spots to go and explore on your own, google and check out reviews.

theme parks the usual Disneyland, Universal Studio.

beach u get Malibu which is like 1hr away from LA.

sure U can go whale watching, u have to check the season. I went whale watching in Hawaii.. well.. you need a Bino or a very good zoom lens. the animal is not going to any where near u. Boats due to safety reasons dont go close as it risk capsizing.
https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/things-to-do/where-to-go-whale-watching-in-los-angeles

not big on shopping then Citadel Outlet is the way to go if U are really in LA.
but if U are like in riverside, then Ontario Mills or Dessert Hills.
but then prices in USA is way cheaper than SG. I have seen not big shopper in SG spending more time in States just because prices are low. If U not tempted by cheap deals half a day is good. some ppl don't even like outlet as they view them inferior quality. if U only want make in USA, Italy and no china skip outlet.

cost of uber is expensive. rides in USA cost more than Singapore. labor cost is expensive.

if not comfortable driving over 3hrs, then U can fly. Say fly to vegas and then take a tour to grand canyon. that is reduce driving if you not comfortable.

Thank you I will look into these

if you like chill, relax = chilax..and scenic view + see whales and sea animals..history

why not travel north? slow drive on Highway 1 along the coast to Monterey bay.

do a search on "Highway One" ...it's a bucket list for many

So from LA I go south to SD first then back up north on highway 1?

 

[patryn33]

U can follow this route
https://www.theworldwasherefirst.com/la-to-san-diego-drive/

This is further north, if u like the coast and don’t want to explore other landscapes such as giant trees or cactus
https://highway1discoveryroute.com/

 

[lousydrinker]

I m going to Hawaii, I applied for visa online but never asked me when I flying n which airline. Is it normal? 1st time flying to US

Posted from PCWX using MI 9

 

[Prof Goh]

I m going to Hawaii, I applied for visa online but never asked me when I flying n which airline. Is it normal? 1st time flying to US

Posted from PCWX using MI 9

Singaporean? You mean ESTA? Yeah ESTA doesn't require your flight details. It's also valid for up to 2 years or up to your passport's validity, whichever is earlier

 

[Prof Goh]

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!

Yep anyway Cathay is now running a sale: SIN-JFK/EWR for only $1,420 in PEY and IMO it's worth it for the price

Went and came back in Dec and got upgraded to business JFK-HKG for being Cathay MPC SL and HKG-SIN due to equipment swap (and hence no PEY)

Credited the PEY E fare to Alaska for 19k miles, though it was a hassle to claim the miles of original fare bucket for HKG-SIN lol

Anyway your SQ PEY fare is booked into R, can check out where to credit it to https://www.wheretocredit.com/singapore-airlines/r

 

[lousydrinker]

Singaporean? You mean ESTA? Yeah ESTA doesn't require your flight details. It's also valid for up to 2 years or up to your passport's validity, whichever is earlier

Yes, I applied for esta. Thanks. I read up on their website but does not say much. There is an expiry, I guess pretty much the same as what u explained

Posted from PCWX using MI 9

 

[illumnae]

Still slowly doing research - LA like got not much that my wife and I like to do it seems. So far only arrow in on the Farmer's market, Observatory and Downtown plus 1 day at outlet mall.

For San Diego we planned 3 days so far:
Day 1: Zoo + Balboa Park + Sunset drive/cruise
Day 2: Safari + gaslamp district
Day 3: dolphin/whale cruise + seaport village

All in all like can't find enough to do to last 2 whole weeks like that haha

What's a reliable and not too expensive car rental place for the US? OK to use Hertz or Avis?

 

[patryn33]

Hertz maybe most expensive company
A lot of consolidation , Avis and budget same company
Reliable depends on car brands not rental biz
These company are listed they will not run away

Accident need service these company just call another company

U not going sea world?

 

[care5bear]

I travel freq to Seattle however i always use Delta Airlines with a layover in Japan / Korea. Anyone tried the new route from SIA, which flies direct to Seattle? Just wondering if it's bearable.

 

[tulipkiss]

Anyone used DBS MCA-linked debit card in the US - either withdrew cash through ATM (no admin fees), or using the debit card for payment?
Is it convenient to do those?

I've some USD in my MCA account and since the exchange rate (usd to sgd) is pretty good now, thinking of either:
a) converting those fund back into SGD and leaving some for usage for my trip in May, or
b) simply converting the full sum and then change USD (cash) nearer to the travel date.

 

[Prof Goh]

Anyone used DBS MCA-linked debit card in the US - either withdrew cash through ATM (no admin fees), or using the debit card for payment?
Is it convenient to do those?

i'm not sure if you'll also be hit by out-of-network ATM fees though, which is usually charged by the ATM owner. correct me if i'm wrong

 

[dilphinus]

Yep anyway Cathay is now running a sale: SIN-JFK/EWR for only $1,420 in PEY and IMO it's worth it for the price

Went and came back in Dec and got upgraded to business JFK-HKG for being Cathay MPC SL and HKG-SIN due to equipment swap (and hence no PEY)

Credited the PEY E fare to Alaska for 19k miles, though it was a hassle to claim the miles of original fare bucket for HKG-SIN lol

Anyway your SQ PEY fare is booked into R, can check out where to credit it to https://www.wheretocredit.com/singapore-airlines/r

25k miles can get you one way SEA to Japan/China/Korean on JL biz on the Alaska mileage program.

 

[illumnae]

Hertz maybe most expensive company
A lot of consolidation , Avis and budget same company
Reliable depends on car brands not rental biz
These company are listed they will not run away

Accident need service these company just call another company

U not going sea world?

Since it's my first time I guess maybe go with Hertz or Avis since I heard of those companies before. What car brand would you recommend? My biggest concern is just the ability to find parking especially near restaurants/cafes for dining.

We left out sea world due to misunderstanding by my wife, I told her Scripps aquarium not very nice and she thought i meant sea world. We're looking into it now.

Current thought is to just go outlet mall and farmer's market in LA after my exams, then go to SD and then drive up Highway One to SF with a couple of 1-2 day stopovers along the way. Does that sound doable/realistic for a first timer?

 

[patryn33]

U flying in and out of LA?
LA to SF is 9hr drive along CA-1, perfectly doable; however u have to drive 8hr to LA if U depart from LA.
depending on your schedule u may want to see if U can fit Yosemite in.

if U thinking of LA to SD and SD to SF thats a 10hr drive.

I would shop closer to the end the trip, say U going to SF. on the way stop by Giloy outlet. U don't have to carry all those stuff to San Diego.

if U can list down a draft schedule such as below, easier to tell realist or not
day 1: arrive LA
day 2: chill and see X
day 3: exam
day 4: ... etc...

as for Cars stay away from Chrysler or Chevrolet. ford, Toyota, Hyundai, Nissan all OK.
U may want a mid size sedan or mid size SUV. I always rent with National, join the Club rent a mid size sedan and U get to fit any car on the emerald club lot. usually not hard to get a free upgrade to a full size sedan, mini van or SUV for paying mid size sedan rate. Hertz also offer similar program but I have not tried b4.

 

[5408854088]

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

Is this the official website to apply for ESTA?

There are many offical lookalike ones out there.