US help.

[RoLanTo]

ok noted.. for car rental.. use the singapore airline partners "rental car" good?
which 1 is cheap n good in US? i surfed, people says Entreprise..

i need find one with easy location to return.. although not really that impt since i may take domestic from LA to LV, so returning at airport is ok

In Monterey, stay at the Intercontinental or the Spindrift Inn if you're fancy, or the Best Western Victorian if you're not. Either way, pick something within walking distance of Cannery Row, where the Aquarium is.



Pismo Beach is on the beach, and has hotels like the Shore Cliff Lodge (which is surprisingly cheap, and their in-house Ventana Restaurant is great). SLO has... nothing.

 

[fone]

ok noted.. for car rental.. use the singapore airline partners "rental car" good?
which 1 is cheap n good in US? i surfed, people says Entreprise..

i need find one with easy location to return.. although not really that impt since i may take domestic from LA to LV, so returning at airport is ok

Enterprise need to call or inform counter that you are doing one-way rentals, their website don't allow that.

 

[Shiny Things]

ok noted.. for car rental.. use the singapore airline partners "rental car" good?
which 1 is cheap n good in US? i surfed, people says Entreprise..

I've used Hertz and Avis in the past and both have been fine. Hertz has a bigger range of awesome luxury and performance cars if that's your thing (but you can't rent them one-way).

 

[charcoal3256]

3 weeks east USA trip

Hi all,

Am planning a trip to East USA for about 20 days in July.
Will be attending a conference in Detroit before commencement of my trip.
A few places which I wish to visit will probably be
1. New York
2. Washington
3. Boston
4. Ohio ( as my girlfriend is studying there at the moment, probably will spend about 4-5 days in ohio)

For me this is the first time in the US so will probably like to do some touristy stuff. Any place to do hiking at the area?
Any recommendations how many days should I allocate for each place and also are there any other states which are worth visiting?
Transport wise currently looking at public transport and not renting a car.
For transport from state to state will it be recommended to take flight/train or car?

Thanks in advance.

 

[stonedx]

Advice for everyone: look at a map before you start asking trip questions. You're not going to, say, hit the Mojave Desert on the way from SF to Vegas, or Yosemite on the way from Vegas to LA.



If you're travelling from LA to Las Vegas, unfortunately it's a pretty boring drive. All the intermediate towns are awful (I made the mistake of spending a night in Baker once; learn from my fail), and you have to slog all the way through LA's hellacious traffic. I'd recommend just flying, but if you absolutely must drive and want to spend a night somewhere on the way, take a detour to Palm Springs and spend a night in the Saguaro, then head off to Vegas the next morning.

thanks shiny thing!
forgot to mention exactly the road that i'm hitting.
Well basically its yosmite > LV
I'm looking at the tioga pass (hoping that it will open in end may and looking at it now, it's possible) I read that first part of the tioga pass has a low speed limit. Looking at highway 395 -> 165 -> 266 and finally 95.

anyone with experience care to share how's the drive>

 

[urban_closet]

Hi guys,

Would like to seek your advice. Planning my honeymoon in April and came up with a rough itinerary:

5-11 Apr: New York
12-13 Apr: Toronto
Fly into LV
14-15 Apr: LV
16 Apr: Death Valley National Park
17 Apr: Sequoia & Kings Canyon Park
18 Apr: Yosemite
19-20 Apr: Napa Valley, Sausalito
21-27 Apr: San Francisco & Surroundings

Just wondering if the above is feasible? We'll rent the car starting from LV.

For most locations we are staying at places through Airbnb. LV - definitely a hotel!

Thanks so much guys!

 

[Shiny Things]

I read that first part of the tioga pass has a low speed limit.

Looking at highway 395 -> 165 -> 266 and finally 95.
anyone with experience care to share how's the drive>

I'm assuming you mean CA-168, not CA-165?

Also, when you're giving directions like this, you need to clarify what kind of highway you're talking about. I- roads are interstate highways (freeways); US- roads are US highways (usually freeways but not always); CA- or NV- or whatever roads are state routes, which can be anywhere from a freeway to a dirt track. So your route is CA-120-E (the Tioga Pass, E for Eastbound), to US-395-S (southbound) to CA-168-E to NV-266-E to US-95-S to Las Vegas.

Now that I'm done nitpicking, that drive is absolutely magical. The back side of the Tioga Pass drops you six thousand feet in a few miles, leaving you on the banks of Mono Lake (don't drink the water!). Just south of there is the cute little town of Bishop, where you should spend the night (see below re the Creekside Inn); then wake up early the next morning and go see the Bristlecone Pines.

When you're done there, keep going on CA-168 east until you cross the Nevada state line, then floor it across the desert until you reach US-95. Calm down a bit when you get there - there might be cops - and stop at the little desert town of Beatty for a break on your way to Vegas.

 

[Shiny Things]

For me this is the first time in the US so will probably like to do some touristy stuff. Any place to do hiking at the area?

Not really. You've just picked three big cities and two industrial wastelands. Depends where in Ohio you are, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope.

Transport wise currently looking at public transport and not renting a car.

This will work in NY/DC/Boston, but not in Ohio or Detroit. You'll need to rent cars there.

For transport from state to state will it be recommended to take flight/train or car?

DC-NY-Boston (look at a map so you don't have to backtrack) has the Acela train service connecting it, and it's perfectly nice. Ohio and Detroit you'll be better off flying to and from, though.

 

[Shiny Things]

Hi guys,

Would like to seek your advice. Planning my honeymoon in April and came up with a rough itinerary:

5-11 Apr: New York
12-13 Apr: Toronto
Fly into LV
14-15 Apr: LV
16 Apr: Death Valley National Park
17 Apr: Sequoia & Kings Canyon Park
18 Apr: Yosemite
19-20 Apr: Napa Valley, Sausalito
21-27 Apr: San Francisco & Surroundings

Just wondering if the above is feasible? We'll rent the car starting from LV.

Um. I'd take out Toronto, and one day from San Francisco, and put those three extra days into your road trip.

You might want to budget an extra day between Death Valley and Sequoia NPs, because that drive is a huge six-hour schlep all the way down through Bakersfield (there's no back entrance to Sequoia NP, and even if there were it'd still be buried under snow in April). Add an extra day in Yosemite to give yourself a day off from driving, and maybe an extra day in Napa or Sausalito because it's so nice?

I'd actually make a change to the second half of that road trip. Do Napa and Sausalito as day trips from San Francisco (bonus of going on a tour to Napa - you don't have to worry about getting caught driving drunk!), and replace the two days in Napa/Sausalito at the end of your trip with a day in Monterey and one day in Santa Cruz.

 

[invisible999]

Another place to go if you heading to California enroute to Las Vegas or Las Vegas to Nevada.

Death Valley.

Death Valley - a set on Flickr

Have to step in here.

(scroll back 15 years ago) my first trip in the Death Valley, it was there in the middle of July. Major error of judgment.

Because it was 130F outside and aircon in our car almost failed. And left on CA-190 with 130F outside and without drinking water in the car - you are looking for a kick on a bucket very shortly.

We survived. But lesson learned.

 

[Telur17]

Not really. You've just picked three big cities and two industrial wastelands. Depends where in Ohio you are, but I wouldn't hold out too much hope.

erm, v not true. esp for nyc. I can't say for the other cities as I don't live there. nyc does have a lot more to offer other than just shopping n the usual tourist spots like times square.

hiking within nyc parks
Hiking Trails : NYC Parks

hiking within central park. have you seen how big that is?
Central Park Hikes - New York City  - BerkshireHiking.Com

n if he's willing to travel outside nyc, there are even more spots for hiking.
New York Hiking and Backpacking Trips | Backpacker Magazine | Backpacker Magazine
Hiking and biking day trips from New York City
Hiking in New York - Best Hikes, Guides, and Trail Maps | EveryTrail

 

[urban_closet]

Um. I'd take out Toronto, and one day from San Francisco, and put those three extra days into your road trip.

You might want to budget an extra day between Death Valley and Sequoia NPs, because that drive is a huge six-hour schlep all the way down through Bakersfield (there's no back entrance to Sequoia NP, and even if there were it'd still be buried under snow in April). Add an extra day in Yosemite to give yourself a day off from driving, and maybe an extra day in Napa or Sausalito because it's so nice?

I'd actually make a change to the second half of that road trip. Do Napa and Sausalito as day trips from San Francisco (bonus of going on a tour to Napa - you don't have to worry about getting caught driving drunk!), and replace the two days in Napa/Sausalito at the end of your trip with a day in Monterey and one day in Santa Cruz.

Sounds good. let me do a little research and come back again!

Thanks!

 

[patryn33]

Hi all,

Am planning a trip to East USA for about 20 days in July.
Will be attending a conference in Detroit before commencement of my trip.
A few places which I wish to visit will probably be
1. New York
2. Washington
3. Boston
4. Ohio ( as my girlfriend is studying there at the moment, probably will spend about 4-5 days in ohio)

For me this is the first time in the US so will probably like to do some touristy stuff. Any place to do hiking at the area?
Any recommendations how many days should I allocate for each place and also are there any other states which are worth visiting?
Transport wise currently looking at public transport and not renting a car.
For transport from state to state will it be recommended to take flight/train or car?

Where is your conference in Detroit? downtown U can get buy with public transport.
Ohio since your GF is there maybe she can give u more help on how to get place A to B.

State to State, NYC to DC can take train. Boston flying is better.
Not checking out Niagara?
Detroit nothing much to do there.. if U are into American Automotive then check out Ford at Dearborn. Best middle eastern food.
across the bridge U can go Windsor visit some nice winery if U not going to Niagara. Its a smaller region producing some great tasting ice wines CHEAP!
try Erie Shore Vineyard.

Outside NYC, U will need to drive. NY state U can visit 1000 island (VISIT THE 1000 ISLANDS)
There are alot of things to do and see outside NYC.

Michigan - if U drive can check out sleeping bear dune. try those dune ride.
ie
Saugatuck Dune Rides
Silver Lake Buggy Rentals - Home

when U mention Hiking, what kind? just short day hikes or long over nite hikes?

 

[patryn33]

erm, v not true. esp for nyc. I can't say for the other cities as I don't live there. nyc does have a lot more to offer other than just shopping n the usual tourist spots like times square.

was casually chatting with my colleague at THE VALLEY, he commented its common for Californian to be full of themselves and be proud of the great state of California. LOL I have met ppl from Cali moved on their own expenses to Mich cause standard of living is lower, auto industry is growing today. Even CE (apple and Google) wants to be in the automotive world.

Other states do offer their own beauty.

Much of USA is filled with industrial wasteland, all the manufacturing moved to china/thailand etc..Out in the midwest, near Chicago not too far away can check out Allen Edmond Factory (buy cheap dress shoes), near Minneapolis there is red wing (get cheap boots). Northern Cali beyond Napa are all nature stuff... few ppl been to that part of the world anyway.

 

[Telur17]

was casually chatting with my colleague at THE VALLEY, he commented its common for Californian to be full of themselves and be proud of the great state of California. LOL I have met ppl from Cali moved on their own expenses to Mich cause standard of living is lower, auto industry is growing today. Even CE (apple and Google) wants to be in the automotive world.

Other states do offer their own beauty.

Much of USA is filled with industrial wasteland, all the manufacturing moved to china/thailand etc..Out in the midwest, near Chicago not too far away can check out Allen Edmond Factory (buy cheap dress shoes), near Minneapolis there is red wing (get cheap boots). Northern Cali beyond Napa are all nature stuff... few ppl been to that part of the world anyway.

I'm sure the west coast is v nice and I hope to travel there one day. will definitely read up the posts on that when I do.

But east coast oso has a lot of v nice places. I've enjoyed all the US cities I've visited so far and because we are visitors to those cities, we also do the touristy stuff. Nothing wrong with that ar. end up the day, its people's holidays so they should do what interest them. can point them towards other not so touristy stuff but if that's what rocks them, that's fine with me.

 

[stonedx]

I'm assuming you mean CA-168, not CA-165?

Also, when you're giving directions like this, you need to clarify what kind of highway you're talking about. I- roads are interstate highways (freeways); US- roads are US highways (usually freeways but not always); CA- or NV- or whatever roads are state routes, which can be anywhere from a freeway to a dirt track. So your route is CA-120-E (the Tioga Pass, E for Eastbound), to US-395-S (southbound) to CA-168-E to NV-266-E to US-95-S to Las Vegas.

Now that I'm done nitpicking, that drive is absolutely magical. The back side of the Tioga Pass drops you six thousand feet in a few miles, leaving you on the banks of Mono Lake (don't drink the water!). Just south of there is the cute little town of Bishop, where you should spend the night (see below re the Creekside Inn); then wake up early the next morning and go see the Bristlecone Pines.

When you're done there, keep going on CA-168 east until you cross the Nevada state line, then floor it across the desert until you reach US-95. Calm down a bit when you get there - there might be cops - and stop at the little desert town of Beatty for a break on your way to Vegas.

thanks shiny thing. I dont mind you nitpicking as long as i get to learn! haha

 

[genie47]

When you are in Vegas, check out the National Atomic Testing Museum. Get close to atomic testing weapon testing!

 

[genie47]

Not all of Vegas is The Strip. Check out the Neon Museum and Boneyard

 

[genie47]

No love for Florida besides Miami Vice? Weeki Wachee Springs!

 

[genie47]

Dry Tortugas National Park in Florida.