US help.

[swordspirit]

One question guys.. I am going to Yosemite from SFO and will be staying overnight at Yosemite then back to SFO again. In this case, if I am staying at Sonora is it a good choice? Tried finding in Yosemite valley but out of my budget. Budget is arnd $150. Another option is at Mammoth Lakes but will pull me further away from SFO then.

do you have to be "in" the valley. If not, can consider oakhurst area. Ard a 1hr drive away. You may be better off 2 days in the region especially if u are entering the tioga pass.

Your rate is in S$ or US$?

This is not bad, but seem to be over your budget (will be below your budget if you have more people to share a room)

Evergreen Haus - Yosemite / Sierra - Mountain Cabin Lodging

 

[stanknight]

do you have to be "in" the valley. If not, can consider oakhurst area. Ard a 1hr drive away. You may be better off 2 days in the region especially if u are entering the tioga pass.

Your rate is in S$ or US$?

This is not bad, but seem to be over your budget (will be below your budget if you have more people to share a room)

Evergreen Haus - Yosemite / Sierra - Mountain Cabin Lodging

OK Oakhurst area looks good.. shall search on there.

 

[califonia]

Found this big bus ride service in SF very interesting.

You pay $55(adult) and $33 (child) for unlimited ride on this open top bus. It will stop at 20 destinations and interval between each bus is like every 15-30min. Ticket valid for 2 days.

Big Bus Tours San Francisco-48 Hour

then shld be another company name, saw them when i was ard golden gate bridge area.

 

[Telur17]

Found this big bus ride service in SF very interesting.

You pay $55(adult) and $33 (child) for unlimited ride on this open top bus. It will stop at 20 destinations and interval between each bus is like every 15-30min. Ticket valid for 2 days.

Big Bus Tours San Francisco-48 Hour

such hop on, hop off bus tours are present in almost all cities. another one is San Francisco City Bus Tours by City Sightseeing San Francisco I think they are only good if you like to cheong places. I prefer to explore an area and if got time then go on to another place. this means 1 day I can max explore 2 places. if the attraction is particularly attractive like the museum of natural history in NY, I can easily spend a whole day there and not see finish everything. Transport from my hotel to the attraction and back will definitely not cost as much as the open top bus even for 2 days.

 

[winorlose]

In SF, we were practically walking to all places. From hotel to chinatown to pier 39..Heck we even wanted to walk to GG bridge from Pier 39 but gave up the idea as it's approximately 1.5hrs to Fort Point. Heng we didn't as the fog was so bad we can't even see the bridge. Can't imagine having to walk 1.5hrs there and "Can't see **** Captain!" and walk another 2hrs back to hotel. My wife won't be too happy!

There are alot of nice italian restaurants along Columbus Ave ..omg the mouthwatering carbs!

Our first meal/dinner in SF was Uncle Vito's. We were super hungry and the weather was cold..smoking hot pasta and pizza served! Somemore have to tabao back to hotel for 2nd round next day.

Uncle Vito's :: Fast, FREE Delivery :: (415) 391-5008

Explore Tenderloin at your own risk.

Still JET-LAGGED atm!


Eating out is not cheap and tipping required but generally i find the service & hospitality of servers so much better! Btw, there is this Hot Blonde server at Mama's! Omg!

 

[y0nGsAn]

Hi All,

First time posting here in this thread. I will be going for my honeymoon to US for 2 weeks on last week of Nov and first week of Dec this year. We would like to go New York and perhaps another place nearby. I do not intend to drive.

May i know which hotel do you recommend in New York perhaps near Time Squares? I am looking for budget kind (Around 150-200USD per day? Not sure how much is the average)

Other than New York, is there any other places that you would recommend to go as i intend to spend about 1 week in New York and another at somewhere else.

Thanks!

 

[winorlose]

NY, Night hotel, 2mins walk from Times Square and probably the cheapest and most value for $$ hotel you can find.

Really cool dark hotel..

Take a bus tour to Niagara Falls! About 6-7hrs from NYC.. should be a 2days 1night tour..stay over at a hotel near Niagara Falls.

 

[swordspirit]

NY, Night hotel, 2mins walk from Times Square and probably the cheapest and most value for $$ hotel you can find.

Really cool dark hotel..

Take a bus tour to Niagara Falls! About 6-7hrs from NYC.. should be a 2days 1night tour..stay over at a hotel near Niagara Falls.

if u going to niagara falls, consider staying a few more days. maybe better to book a ticket if u can get it cheap or free, if not take the bus.

 

[Shiny Things]

May i know which hotel do you recommend in New York perhaps near Time Squares? I am looking for budget kind (Around 150-200USD per day? Not sure how much is the average)

Great stuff mate. Dates, and a price range: we can give you exactly what you're after.

I'd actually recommend NOT staying near Times Square: it's crappy and crowded and touristy. You'll want to go there, but not stay there, especially since this is your honeymoon: you want to make it special.

The Marcel at Gramercy is showing up $300 everywhere, but $200 on Getaroom for your dates: that might be a bargain, see if you can lift it. If that's not available, the Hilton Garden Inn Tribeca's at the top of your price range, but it's good, and TriBeCa's a VERY cool part of Manhattan.

Other than New York, is there any other places that you would recommend to go as i intend to spend about 1 week in New York and another at somewhere else.

Ooh. OK, this one's a bit out of left field, but how about Miami and Key West? Miami Beach is fantastic fun and very pretty, especially if you stay in one if the old art-deco hotels; the bus ride down to Key West across the bridges is utterly magical; and Key West is just fantastic, super fun and very historically significant. (If your significant other likes cats, tell him or her about the Ernest Hemingway house in Key West, which is full of adorable kitty cats who all have six toes on each foot. It's the best thing since sliced bread.)

 

[y0nGsAn]

NY, Night hotel, 2mins walk from Times Square and probably the cheapest and most value for $$ hotel you can find.

Really cool dark hotel..

Take a bus tour to Niagara Falls! About 6-7hrs from NYC.. should be a 2days 1night tour..stay over at a hotel near Niagara Falls.

Hi,

Thanks for the recommendation! Will check out Night hotel!

I am still in the midst of planning since i have 2 weeks of honeymoon. If i spend about 8 days in New York, 2 days in Niagara, i will have about 3 more days free.

 

[y0nGsAn]

if u going to niagara falls, consider staying a few more days. maybe better to book a ticket if u can get it cheap or free, if not take the bus.

Thanks! Will find online to book and check out the rates

 

[y0nGsAn]

Great stuff mate. Dates, and a price range: we can give you exactly what you're after.

I'd actually recommend NOT staying near Times Square: it's crappy and crowded and touristy. You'll want to go there, but not stay there, especially since this is your honeymoon: you want to make it special.

The Marcel at Gramercy is showing up $300 everywhere, but $200 on Getaroom for your dates: that might be a bargain, see if you can lift it. If that's not available, the Hilton Garden Inn Tribeca's at the top of your price range, but it's good, and TriBeCa's a VERY cool part of Manhattan.


Ooh. OK, this one's a bit out of left field, but how about Miami and Key West? Miami Beach is fantastic fun and very pretty, especially if you stay in one if the old art-deco hotels; the bus ride down to Key West across the bridges is utterly magical; and Key West is just fantastic, super fun and very historically significant. (If your significant other likes cats, tell him or her about the Ernest Hemingway house in Key West, which is full of adorable kitty cats who all have six toes on each foot. It's the best thing since sliced bread.)

Thanks for the recommendation!

We have not booked the air tickets but would most probably travel on 23th Nov till 7th Dec 2014. Price range for stay would be about 100-300+ per night.

Miami sound great! How long do you recommend us to stay there? Basically the main thing we want to do is to go Time Squares, Watch broadway and visit Niagara Falls. The rest we have not decided yet.

Also do you recommend us getting someone to bring us around in New York. Something like NewYorkCity Trip :

New York City Honeymoon Packages

 

[patryn33]

Hi,

Thanks for the recommendation! Will check out Night hotel!

I am still in the midst of planning since i have 2 weeks of honeymoon. If i spend about 8 days in New York, 2 days in Niagara, i will have about 3 more days free.

Honeymoon I would go touristy beach.
I would go Sedona if u are willing to go crazy and fly from NYC all the way down south.
http://m.bridalguide.com/honeymoons/more-destinations/amazing-desert-honeymoons

Was just at Niagara Falls a mth or so ago. Maybe back in jan for ice wine festival.
If u don't want to waste precious time spending 2 weeks of honeymoon traveling much on the plane. Go up north to argonquin national park, rent a cabin and enjoy the wilderness or lesser travel places such as Arcadia national park. Then it's cold I forgot about that and roads maybe bad. Or go French old Quebec City? It's nice getaway.

For me during my honeymoon I wanna spend quiet time alone with my love one in beautiful place. Away from the human crowd.

Note: nov to dec, NYC or Niagara will be cold. NYC maybe 2-3 degrees warmer but u still looking at single digits. All the national park up north will be low season, much colder. Not good suggestion I missed the fact u are going in late nov thru dec.

 

[juventusfc27]

i wanna ask a very dumb question...

if im singaporean, m i allowed to bring my personal laptop over to seattle tacoma international airport?

will they suspect me of anything?

 

[Shiny Things]

i wanna ask a very dumb question...

if im singaporean, m i allowed to bring my personal laptop over to seattle tacoma international airport?

There are no stupid questions. Yep, you can; but make sure you take it (and any other valuables) in your carry-on luggage; the TSA agents have a reputation for nicking things from checked baggage.

 

[Shiny Things]

Thanks for the recommendation!

We have not booked the air tickets but would most probably travel on 23th Nov till 7th Dec 2014. Price range for stay would be about 100-300+ per night.

Great: you've got plenty of hotel options, then. Even in NYC, $300 a night will get you something decent. Check out Tripadvisor and see what's on there that you like.

Miami sound great! How long do you recommend us to stay there? Basically the main thing we want to do is to go Time Squares, Watch broadway and visit Niagara Falls. The rest we have not decided yet.

You could easily spend three nights in Miami Beach (make sure you stay in Miami Beach, not Miami proper), and two nights in Key West.

Do it. Get a cute little hotel room with your significant other in a cute little Art-Deco hotel on Ocean Drive or Collins Avenue, not one of the big glass towers on West Avenue. Have breakfast at the News Cafe, looking out over South Beach. Then hop on the bus down to Key West, driving across the warm Caribbean waters, and spend a couple of days right down at the far end of the islands.

EDIT I've just realized, you might want to be a bit careful with that Miami recommendation. The first week of December is Art Basel Miami Beach, the biggest modern art fair in the world, and the hotel prices look more like phone numbers. If you still want to do Miami (and you should!), either go there the week before if art's not your thing; or if art is your thing, The Lord Balfour hotel (in a cute Art Deco building down in the trendy SoFi district) is showing up at $230 a night for the Art Basel week (though only on Otel.com), so you'll want to jump on that now.

Times Square will take you like an hour tops. It's just a big intersection with a bunch of neon splashed around.

I'm personally not so hot on Niagara. Also it's going to be pretty cold around your time of year - like lows below freezing and highs in the single digits, so take that into account when you're planning.

Also do you recommend us getting someone to bring us around in New York. Something like NewYorkCity Trip :

No. You're on a honeymoon, not a package tour; it's supposed to be just the two of you. Having a third person around would be kind of weird.

 

[stanknight]

hi guys, doing a car rental search at the moment via carhire3000.com and found the price is about half cheaper from dollar than from avis or hertz. Can this be trusted? I heard so many bad reviews for Dollar but again the price difference is huge. (SGD400 compare to SGD1000).

 

[Shiny Things]

hi guys, doing a car rental search at the moment via carhire3000.com and found the price is about half cheaper from dollar than from avis or hertz. Can this be trusted? I heard so many bad reviews for Dollar but again the price difference is huge. (SGD400 compare to SGD1000).

Good god, a thousand bucks? Are you renting an AMG or something?

Post your search parameters (pickup location and date, dropoff location and date, and your age) and I'll have a crack.

 

[stanknight]

Good god, a thousand bucks? Are you renting an AMG or something?

Post your search parameters (pickup location and date, dropoff location and date, and your age) and I'll have a crack.

I only use carhire3000.com and Alamo website to see for now. Hertz is about 900 plus including everything.

Pickup location and date : LAX 29th Aug
Dropoff location and date : SFO 3rd Sep
Age : 32
Car : Ford Mustang

Carhire3000.com is about SGD$480 which includes the below from Dollar.
Premium Package: Price includes additional drivers over 25 & a tank of fuel
Cancellation
Amendments
Theft Protection
Collision Damage Waiver
Unlimited Kilometers for ALL car groups
Local Taxes
Airport Surcharge
Premium location fee
Initial Tank of Fuel
Homeland Security Fee

This is from Alamo website direct
1 Rental @408.00 $408.00
Airport Concession Fee 11.11 Pct (11.11%) $52.65
Customer Facility Charge $10.00
Tourism Fee 2.60 Pct (2.6%) $9.20
Mtr Veh Fuel Sales Tax (4.25%) $2.80
Sales Tax (9.5%) $38.63
Unlimited mileage Included
Fuel Service Option ( $4.12 /GALLON , $65.92 Max ) $65.92
Included Collision Damage Waiver
Total about SGD$734

Should I go for carhire3000.com or Alamo direct? And should I go for the extended protection as well?

Thanks Shiny.

 

[winorlose]

awesome! a mustang! can try a camaro cabrio too..

or you can search vroomvroomvroom.com and choose the respective rental co. I used Alamo and they are pleasant to deal with. Very straight forward. Price already includes insurance to cover damages so there is no need to worry about knocks etc.

From airport, take the bus rental shuttle. Check in via the self-service kiosk, collect your car and you will be out in 10mins.

You can remove the petrol option because it will be almost full tank when you collect.