US help.

[Shiny Things]

Awesome tips! Thanks!

As for shopping, do you have any recommendations near my hotel area?

Yeah - I recommend not shopping near Yerba Buena. It's exactly the same stuff you'll find in Singapore, and you didn't fly 18 hours just to see another bloody Louis Vuitton store.

The cool independent shops and boutiques are in Hayes Valley (catch the 21 bus), or on Valencia between 16th and 24th (catch BART to 16th and Mission station, then walk west to Valencia).

 

[guanguan]

Never been to USA Before.

Is it possible to do west and east in one trip? (Maybe two-three weeks)

Was thinking of major cities like :

1.San Fransico/LA/LV
2. Florida/Orlando
3. New York.

Any website or itinerary blog recommended to view?
I know tripadvisors.

Thanks in regards

 

[deadbench]

Wow.. thanks guys for all the input. Will post again once I firm up my plans

 

[Shiny Things]

Never been to USA Before.

Is it possible to do west and east in one trip? (Maybe two-three weeks)

Any website or itinerary blog recommended to view?
I know tripadvisors.

Yeah, sure. Better three weeks than two, but it's totally doable.

Pro tip: skip Orlando - there's nothing there except theme parks - and do a couple days in Miami instead. Miami Beach is great fun, and the drive down to the Keys is phenomenally beautiful. (You can rent a car or - and this is the best option - catch a bus. Sit up the front and enjoy the view on the Overseas Highway; it's incredible.)

From Key West International Airport (EYW), you can fly to LAX or SFO for a couple hundred bucks on Delta (via Atlanta) or American (via Miami); and then you're on the west coast, with all that that offers.

 

[ah_paul]

hey people.

Anyone has any idea for places of interest in Atlanta? I'll be visiting my friend in South Carolina and I've decided to stop by Atlanta for awhile.

Any suggestions for Atlanta?

 

[Shiny Things]

Not really - Atlanta's not the most exciting place in the world, unless you're a fan of hip-hop? The CNN Studio Tour should be pretty cool, though; here's Wikitravel with a few more suggestions.

I'd almost be inclined to do Savannah, Charleston, or even Miami instead.

 

[funnyclown]

25 days itinerary help

My family of 2 adults & 2 teens will be visiting US for 3 weeks in December, we are planning to spend:

6 days in Orlando - doing theme parks etc

3 days - miami (drive from orlando to miami)

3 days - washington (can suggest fly OR amtrak train to Boston?)

4 days - in Boston OR Toronto?

6 days in - NYC (hopefully can do some broadway shows)

Anyone has had experience leaving NYC on 31 Dec?

We are a laid back family, just looking into exploring streets, free entrances, eat and perhaps some outlet shopping if any.

Thanks

 

[patryn33]

4 days do Montreal and old Quebec City, skip Boston and Toronto.

Toronto is u wanna count Niagara Falls and the winery region. Dec too early for ice wine festival.
Now u remind me, I need to see if I can visit ice wind festival next yr. yum

Amtrak to Montreal has a scenic view but the ride is long.
3 days DC about there a lot to see

 

[Shiny Things]

My family of 2 adults & 2 teens will be visiting US for 3 weeks in December, we are planning to spend:

6 days in Orlando - doing theme parks etc

3 days - miami (drive from orlando to miami)

3 days - washington (can suggest fly OR amtrak train to Boston?)

4 days - in Boston OR Toronto?

6 days in - NYC (hopefully can do some broadway shows)

Anyone has had experience leaving NYC on 31 Dec?

We are a laid back family, just looking into exploring streets, free entrances, eat and perhaps some outlet shopping if any.

Thanks

If you're into exploring streets and great food, you need to spend more time in Miami. The Latin American food down there is phenomenal, and the streets of Miami Beach are just packed full of great little spots to explore (and fab art-deco architecture - don't miss the Art Deco Walking Tours!) On the same note, you won't like Orlando very much - the food is all theme-park stuff or generic American chains, and there's no streets to explore because it sprawls like hell and you need a car to get around.

And if you're travelling in December, NYC and Canada are going to be cold as hell - you're definitely going to want to spend more time down south. (You might even want to try something a bit different - I hear Savannah's lovely, and it's almost bang on halfway between Miami and Washington.)

Flying out of NYC on Dec 31st shouldn't be a problem, either - you might even get slightly cheaper flights because everybody wants to go the other way.

Here's what I'd recommend:
* 4 days Orlando
* 5 days Miami Beach
* 3 days extra: catch the bus down the Florida Keys and spend a couple of nights in Key West. The drive is mindbogglingly pretty, so make sure you sit up the front - and when you're in Key West, don't miss the tour out to Dry Tortugas National Park.
* 5 days Washington (there's flights from Key West Airport to everywhere)
* 5 days NYC

Toronto and Montreal and all that are lovely, but they'll be cold as hell.

 

[patryn33]

What cold as hell u talking about?
It's dec not jan or feb when it's even colder.
U need to toughen up man even my parents can take Niagara Toronto weather in jan/feb time.

It's colder than the south but no where as hell.

Got to agree with u on Miami and key west.

Dec 31 flights wouldn't be cheap in dec flights home is expensive. The prices will start going down middle of jan.

There are just too many theme parks in Orlando - Disney world, universal studio, sea world , discovery cove, Kennedy space center. Do try something that u wouldn't find in Asia

 

[Shiny Things]

Dec 31 flights wouldn't be cheap in dec flights home is expensive. The prices will start going down middle of jan.

Not quite.

The first three weeks in December's expensive as hell, like you say, but doing a calendar search on ITA Matrix tells me that prices from NY to Singapore start dropping from the 24th and keep on going down.

Here's the price of a one-way NYC to Singapore economy class ticket:
Dec 18-23: $1200-$1300
Dec 24: $1050
Dec 25-26: $1000
Dec 27-31: $850
Jan 1-7: $780
Jan 8, and every other Tue/Wed/Thurs in January: $720.

Moral of the story: stay home for Xmas!

Other than that, yeah, NYC/Toronto's not going to be that cold in late Dec, but it still might be a bit of a shock. (And really, where would you rather be in December? Sunning yourself on a beach 80 miles from Cuba, or freezing your ass off in NYC?)

 

[cormet]

If you've extra time and budget, fly to the Bahamas from Orlando or Miami. It's really beautiful and the people are friendly.

 

[winorlose]

Oh yes Bahamas! Went in July and this place is totally awesome (still wondering how their ccy is on par with USD)..haha. It's not expensive to fly from NYC, about USD$150 plus iirc by Delta Air?

If you are diver certified (open water), U definitely got to get to Stuart Cove Shark Dive!! Best Experience ever! Here is a pic taken from my gopro hero 2.

Hope to go back to USA next yr again for holiday.

 

[funnyclown]

If you're into exploring streets and great food, you need to spend more time in Miami. The Latin American food down there is phenomenal, and the streets of Miami Beach are just packed full of great little spots to explore (and fab art-deco architecture - don't miss the Art Deco Walking Tours!) On the same note, you won't like Orlando very much - the food is all theme-park stuff or generic American chains, and there's no streets to explore because it sprawls like hell and you need a car to get around.

And if you're travelling in December, NYC and Canada are going to be cold as hell - you're definitely going to want to spend more time down south. (You might even want to try something a bit different - I hear Savannah's lovely, and it's almost bang on halfway between Miami and Washington.)

Flying out of NYC on Dec 31st shouldn't be a problem, either - you might even get slightly cheaper flights because everybody wants to go the other way.

Here's what I'd recommend:
* 4 days Orlando
* 5 days Miami Beach
* 3 days extra: catch the bus down the Florida Keys and spend a couple of nights in Key West. The drive is mindbogglingly pretty, so make sure you sit up the front - and when you're in Key West, don't miss the tour out to Dry Tortugas National Park.
* 5 days Washington (there's flights from Key West Airport to everywhere)
* 5 days NYC

Toronto and Montreal and all that are lovely, but they'll be cold as hell.

Thank you Shiny Things for your suggestion. Are we gaging about-5 to 5 for Toronto & Boston? As been in Asia for the rest of the year, we really do not mind an annual 'cold' holidays as long as is not snow storm.

 

[patryn33]

Toronto is boring, I live a stone throw away yet I take Niagara any day. Better Ang mo food in Niagara, Toronto better Asian food nothing u cannot find in sg.

Boston - 5 days for take is easy family is long. I considered myself slow easy type.

Dec hard to say esp towards jan, higher chance of snow. Come jan/feb is where the fun begins. U may wanna plan go there 1st after u leave the south.

 

[whitebiox]

Hi,

want to check if going to woodbury common outlet Port Authority, New York City under the Citysight or Grayline bus can we purchase the tix over the counter on the spot or require to book online in advance? As yet to decide when to visit that place.
Thanks

 

[cormet]

Hi,

want to check if going to woodbury common outlet Port Authority, New York City under the Citysight or Grayline bus can we purchase the tix over the counter on the spot or require to book online in advance? As yet to decide when to visit that place.
Thanks

You can buy there. There will be other companies advertising also.

 

[winorlose]

Hi,

want to check if going to woodbury common outlet Port Authority, New York City under the Citysight or Grayline bus can we purchase the tix over the counter on the spot or require to book online in advance? As yet to decide when to visit that place.
Thanks

They can be bought over the counter easily. USD20-30+ per pax 2way.

We didn't really buy alot of things from Woodbury outlet. Some nike shoes.. kate spade, tory burch leather bags & products for friends and relatives. Other than that..just enjoy walking around.

 

[whitebiox]

Thanks for all kind revert, in this case i might as well purchase on the day itself, Any notable area in NY worth visiting ?

 

[SpeedingBullet]

Oh yes Bahamas! Went in July and this place is totally awesome (still wondering how their ccy is on par with USD)..haha. It's not expensive to fly from NYC, about USD$150 plus iirc by Delta Air?

If you are diver certified (open water), U definitely got to get to Stuart Cove Shark Dive!! Best Experience ever! Here is a pic taken from my gopro hero 2.

Hope to go back to USA next yr again for holiday.

Fellow shark lover! Going to catch any Great Whites in S.Africa or Australia?

Anyways got a qn (since can't rly OT from finance thread too much), did u just go to the Bahamas or did u also fly around to other places like Puerto Rico, Barbados, etc.?