Your favourite things in the US

[HARKER]

Why is that funny? It's completely understandable and obviously explains in large part why Vegas is so popular. People feel as if they can let go and be 30% louder and 40% sexier and 50% more self important without having to worry about the repercussions. Obviously that's not your cup of tea (i'm going to assume you like drinking tea), which is completely fine but I find it unusual that you fail to see why a place like Vegas would be popular.

Your assumptions on my drinking habits are wrong, I'm actually somewhat sad to say.

It is clear why Vegas is popular but the reasons for us finding it so inviting is the interesting question.
A place where you can let your hair down, you say?
Maybe, but a cestpool of much that is wrong with us may be closer to the mark when we finally grow a brain.

You'd be right though that I don't frequent strip clubs and if you have a valid reason why one should, I'd be happy to hear it.
I wouldn't be happy for my daughter to be a stripper, but watching someone else's is sort of O.K.
That would be borderline hypocritical and I care about such things, but then again some don't.

Just the way it is, I guess.

 

[VicO]

What should i do with regards to taking money over? Take a lot of cash? Credit card? Travellers cheques? Whats the best way?

Def not travellers cheques. Go to anz and put money on a travel visa. They're pretty good and they give you a backup card with a different number so you're sweet if you lose the first. They work everywhere.

 

[Special Agent Utah]

So i am planning a trip to the USA next year at the end of September.

Plan is to drive from San Fran to Miami then fly to NY.

So questions?

Hire a car or buy one? (There is 3 People going possibly 4)

Best sporting website to pre purchase sports tickets?

Cheers in advance.

 

[Bucks Boy Jett]

So i am planning a trip to the USA next year at the end of September.

Plan is to drive from San Fran to Miami then fly to NY.

So questions?

Hire a car or buy one? (There is 3 People going possibly 4)

Best sporting website to pre purchase sports tickets?

Cheers in advance.

I got my NBA tickets through http://www.stubhub.com/

 

[Ghostwriter]

So i am planning a trip to the USA next year at the end of September.

Plan is to drive from San Fran to Miami then fly to NY.

So questions?

Hire a car or buy one? (There is 3 People going possibly 4)

Best sporting website to pre purchase sports tickets?

Cheers in advance.

Personally I reckon to rent a car, between 3 of you it would be pretty reasonable, but you will get charged 300 US extra because you are dropping at a different city.

 

[de_LICA_ish18]

How'd you guys find the tipping culture over there?

It can be annoying for some things but I don't mind it for restaurants. The service is fantastic, they are super polite and they can't do enough for you. Plus the food is usually well priced so in all it's no big deal. I've been to a couple of restaurants since I got back and the difference is huge.

For the Grand Final I went to ESPN Zone in LA (yeah thanks draw...I'm still bitter), I gave the waitress an extra $50 just because we won. The meal was only $20 or something. I didn't even want a meal but had to, just to have a table.

I hate when you go on a tour and have paid $200 or something and you're still expected to tip the driver. I also didn't like that some dude came over and offered some advice about riding the cable car in SF and as I said thank you he asked for a tip. I didn't ask or want his advice but by then I felt obligated.

 

[SonOfScray]

Good advice, thanks guys.

Will do the old stock up on $1 and $5, folded, ready for tips. Going to take a cash passport from travellex, get some cash here before I go and have my card as a back up (fees etc are no good). Been looking forward to this holiday for a long time, believe me, going to make the most of it.

Did not have a punt all year, just put what I usually would put down on the footy/dogs/ races towards a Vegas account. On top of separate holiday savings of course!

 

[evo]

If you like the snow then hit up Aspen. if it's not snow season yet then you still have to check out the Rockys and the national parks. Yosemite and Yellowstone are the obvious ones. But i'm sure there are a fair few other amazing parks out there

Great advice. The rockies are awesome.

 

[VicO]

So i am planning a trip to the USA next year at the end of September.

Plan is to drive from San Fran to Miami then fly to NY.

So questions?

Hire a car or buy one? (There is 3 People going possibly 4)

Best sporting website to pre purchase sports tickets?

Cheers in advance.

Do not buy a car. Go with a big rental agency. We went with National and everytime there was a little problem they exchanged it, no worries. In Vegas they didn't even ask us why. Just gave us a brand spanking new 2011 Camry.

As someone mentioned though, the one-way fees are excessive, but you don't have many other options.

 

[VicO]

Guys, because I got such a fantastic response from this thread, I'd like to give something back.

Each major national park you go to (mt rushmore, yellowstone, bryce canyon, yosemite, grand canyon etc) you have to pay an entrance fee, usually about $20/25 per car which adds up. However, I have an annual pass which gets you in for free to any national park in the country (worth $80 and expires in Oct 2011).

I will send it in the post to whoever wants it. The only condition is you have to send it back promptly when you finish your trip. Let me know.

 

[SonOfScray]

Experience with beggars over there? I've been to Malaysia and thereabouts where there was plenty of beggers and potential pick pockets circling. I've heard that some parts of America is pretty bad, how bad? Marginally worse than Melbourne, or on a similar scle to parts od asia etc?

 

[Ghostwriter]

I gave no money to beggars, but in Vegas I bought bottled water from ppl selling it for a dollar a bottle on the footpath, similar in Seattle I bought a 'green' newspaper from some bloke, occaisionally I got sledged for having no soul, and in Portland, imo the worst city for homeless that I visited, I actually got approached by a bloke who got off the bench and asked what was up, also was followed in Portland as well. Its the second time i've been to Portland and this time the place gave me the creeps.

 

[Special Agent Utah]

Thanks for the advice guys.

At the moment i am planning a route that is just a rough guide line (Thank You Google Maps)

Sacromento-San Fran-LA-Anaheim-San Diego-Vegas-Flagstaff-Phoenix-El Paso-San Antonio-Austin-Dallas-New Orleans-Tallahassee-Orlando-Miami

Anyone see a problem with these routes? Or Places i have missed that are must see's? Or Places to skip? And some of the Must's at these stops?

Thanks

 

[Ghostwriter]

Not sure if you want to go through death valley on the way to Vegas, I thought it was overrated, if you're going to Flagstaff, definitely pop into the Grand Canyon, and just before you turn off to the canyon, drive through a little town called Williams, the main street is all decked out in Route 66 memorabilia, I stumbled across it by mistake, but was in a rush to get to the canyon.

 

[Shell]

Guys, because I got such a fantastic response from this thread, I'd like to give something back.

Each major national park you go to (mt rushmore, yellowstone, bryce canyon, yosemite, grand canyon etc) you have to pay an entrance fee, usually about $20/25 per car which adds up. However, I have an annual pass which gets you in for free to any national park in the country (worth $80 and expires in Oct 2011).

I will send it in the post to whoever wants it. The only condition is you have to send it back promptly when you finish your trip. Let me know.

That's really nice of you.

Experience with beggars over there? I've been to Malaysia and thereabouts where there was plenty of beggers and potential pick pockets circling. I've heard that some parts of America is pretty bad, how bad? Marginally worse than Melbourne, or on a similar scle to parts od asia etc?

I personally never had a problem with beggars at all, in any city. Cant even recall being approached tbh... except one time in LA- first time in the States too and had just arrived. The guy turned out to be really friendly (and seemed happy with the dollar i gave him) and had a chat about where I was from.

The people in Paris are scarier, the ones that keep trying to sell you stuff imo...

 

[Shell]

Okay so now I am seriously thinking of doing another trip over to the US next summer.... operative word there "thinking".. it is doing my head in atm, honestly dunno what do to.

Have been looking at a 35-day trek from LA-Nevada/Vegas-New Mexico-Texas-Panama City Beach-Orlando-Key West-Miami-then up the eastern coast to NYC.

Would love to incorporate Florida and Chicago somehow (have been there before), but think that is not going to happen unless I do a 64 day trip, which I dont wanna do.

 

[raikkonen]

I concur with the sentiments that LA and hollywood are overrated. I've been here last couple of days and it's stuck about 30 years in the past IMO. Downtown LA is as run down place as I have ever seen. Headed out to Santa Monica and Venice tomorrow, Disneyland on Wednesday, then universal Thursday.

I have a question to put foward also...I want to do a day tripdown to Mexico on Friday but I'm not 100% certain on the border crossing requirements to come back. Everywhee I read it mentions about the i94w forms...with the new electronic VWP process you just get a stamp in your passport saying wt/wb and the date. Would I have any trouble being re-admitted to the USA in anybodies experience?

 

[Divado]

Thanks for the advice guys.

At the moment i am planning a route that is just a rough guide line (Thank You Google Maps)

Sacromento-San Fran-LA-Anaheim-San Diego-Vegas-Flagstaff-Phoenix-El Paso-San Antonio-Austin-Dallas-New Orleans-Tallahassee-Orlando-Miami

Anyone see a problem with these routes? Or Places i have missed that are must see's? Or Places to skip? And some of the Must's at these stops?

Thanks

I went through the bolded earlier this year. Didn't rate San Antonio and El Paso looked like a hole it's right on the border and we just drove straight through. In Arizona i'd stop by Tempe if you're keen on the college scene, not much else there worth doing except partying.

 

[crownie]

I concur with the sentiments that LA and hollywood are overrated. I've been here last couple of days and it's stuck about 30 years in the past IMO. Downtown LA is as run down place as I have ever seen. Headed out to Santa Monica and Venice tomorrow, Disneyland on Wednesday, then universal Thursday.

problem is people think its all glamour and get let downwhen they visit, but the thing i loved about it when i went last year was the fact its still 30 years in the past and vintage and has not moved on from its history.

 

[VicO]

I gave no money to beggars, but in Vegas I bought bottled water from ppl selling it for a dollar a bottle on the footpath, similar in Seattle I bought a 'green' newspaper from some bloke, occaisionally I got sledged for having no soul, and in Portland, imo the worst city for homeless that I visited, I actually got approached by a bloke who got off the bench and asked what was up, also was followed in Portland as well. Its the second time i've been to Portland and this time the place gave me the creeps.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ople-live-shimmering-strip.html#ixzz14ZzRUb00

wtf

 

[VicO]

Big Sur = awesome.

 

[SonOfScray]

Leaving today. This thread has been a great read in the build up, will share some of my experience when I return, fairly pumped at the moment.

 

[Plumah]

Leaving today. This thread has been a great read in the build up, will share some of my experience when I return, fairly pumped at the moment.

Argh, I'm so jealous. I swear one of the best things about going away is that drive to the airport and then killing some time, great feeling, have fun!

I'm leaving for the states on the 16th of Jan. A bit nervous however considering my flight is on one of the A380's Hopefully i get there in one piece, and not a thousand scattered over the pacific ocean.

 

[jefffff34]

Argh, I'm so jealous. I swear one of the best things about going away is that drive to the airport and then killing some time, great feeling, have fun!

I'm leaving for the states on the 16th of Jan. A bit nervous however considering my flight is on one of the A380's Hopefully i get there in one piece, and not a thousand scattered over the pacific ocean.

Where are you going? I leave on the 18th.

 

[Plumah]

Where are you going? I leave on the 18th.

I'm off to LA for one day, then to New york for a week, Orlando and Miami for a week, back to LA for 4 days, then driving to Vegas and San Fran for another week. How about you?

I haven't actually booked my flights yet, it's just the airfares come down alot after the 16th, so my flight will either be the 16th, 17th or even 18th!