I'm heading to the USA!

Where to go on holiday in the USA?

Hi all.

Can you guys come up with any good ideas where to take a holiday in the USA please?

We have been let down on an event that we had planned for June and have decided we would like to come to the USA for 2 or 3 weeks instead.

We have been to New York and Las Vegas a few times but would like to go somewhere more representative of the real USA. Having said that, we are still looking for a 'luxury' holiday.

We are 'young' late 40s and in good health BTW.

'Must haves' are, somewhere with top notch accommodation, stunning scenery, good food and drink, good night-life, oh and good shopping. I dive so decent scuba would be a bonus.

I wouldn't go so far as to say 'cost no object' but it's not a primary concern.

What do you think people?

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

i realize everyone will probably want to toot their own horn here, but the Pacific Northwest is amazing (Portland OR, or Seattle WA). Mountains, ocean, camping, and just like every large city in the US, you can find great food, hotels, night life...

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

I've never been to Florida, but I hear many Brits spend their USA holidays there. You could probably find some good scuba places nearby. If you don't mind me saying, you're not going to find the "real USA" by way of a luxury holiday. The best way to experience life here is to visit the people as much as the places. Five star hotels and package tours tend to isolate travelers from experiencing the culture.

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

BOSTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

tenfour, thanks, noted!

LowBat,

By 'real' I probably meant more real than Vegas!!!!!

But I hear what you say and I am sure you are right, especially about meeting people which is a must as far as I am concerned.

It doesn't have to be a luxury hotel or even a hotel at all, but equally I am too long in the tooth for 'roughing it'

Radio, thanks, I'll have a look!

Keep em coming, a little detail would be good as well ;-)

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

You probably have been and i know it's about the opposite side of the world, but Hawaii...Oh man, unbelievable. The main island is nice for shopping, luxury and nightlife, i suppose. However, places like Maui have the real beauty. I went there with the family for a vacation a few summers ago. Most people were very nice. You'll quickly come to love/despise the 'ABC' stores (Always Bring Credit, Always Bring Cash. It's an actual chain. There will sometimes be 3 on a block!

Another suggestion is San Francisco and surrounding areas. Giant Red Woods. Yosemite national park is beautiful. Wine country tours, Alcatraz, etc. I'll let some people more familiar with the area chime in, but it was a great trip. I live in Pennsylvania by the way Not much exciting here.

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

First off, in the US we "go on vacation". We don't "go on holiday". :nana:

Next, the US is pretty big and the geography, climates (environmental and political and socio-economic) can be very varied.

You'll sort of have to narrow down your desires and choices of what you want to do and where you want to be/go a bit more. Want to scuba dive in the ocean? Then you want to go to one of the coasts (East Coast or West Coast), or an area near the Gulf of Mexico, or Alaska (cold water dive!), or the Hawaiian islands (that would be a pretty long flight from the UK!), or Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands if you want 'carribean'. Lot's of different locales and choices just with the one criteria of "ocean scuba diving"!

Next, you mention 'night life' and shopping, so you are aiming more towards a big city or a 'resort' area. Night life could be going to the 'wilderness' and actually watching the night and the night sky, or it could be going out drinking, dining, and dancing or to the theater or a movie or a symphony or the ballet, etc. Again, many different choices there!

About the only thing you wouldn't easily find to do in the US compared to Europe would be to tour old castles or ancient city ruins, except the ruins could be some of the old Indian city ruins in the Southwest.

Big sweeping vistas and natural wonders? The West or Southwest would be good choices for sure, maybe tour the Grand Canyon and some of the western Nation Parks. City life and museums, etc? Pick a big city. Scuba and resorts? Pick a resort as I mentioned above. Scuba and shallower water and 'tropical' (fish, reefs, etc)? Any of the southern states, like southern California, Florida (maybe the Florida Keys?), Hawaii, or the Gulf of Mexico area. Deeper water and wreck dives? Any state with ocean around or near it! Water skiing? Any place with a big or medium lake. Sweeping mountain views? The Rockies (Rocky Mountains, in the west) or the Appalachian Mountains in the East. Maybe the Blue Ridge Mountains or the Smoky Mountains (both part of the Appalachians)?

So many choices, so many areas, you pick.

And the US is pretty big, especially compared to most European countries. Remember that most European countries are about the size of one of our small or medium sized states here! Maybe you could tour a 'region' for your 2 or 3 weeks vacation and not just plop into one resort and stay there the whole time? Tour the desert southwest, or the Pacific northwest, or some Gulf states (Gulf of Mexico area), or the Appalachians, or the historical South or Mid-Atlantic states, or the New England states, or etc, etc, etc.

Heck, you could use 2 or 3 weeks and just go through -some- of the Florida Keys!

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

Mission impossible. There's too much to see and do.

I would probably do a driving tour of the Pacific Coast - from Seattle, Washington to San Diego, California with a jaunt to the Reno, Nevada area. Mountains, desert, rain forest, beaches, rural towns and metropolitan cities, glitzy night life and gambling, farms, ranchs and more. You'll see some of the best of the USA and, in the big cities, some of the worst.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

BTW - the Ace Hardware store in Truckee, CA is worth a visit. Hardware Heaven!!

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

If you dont mind the ruralness, Montana is pretty spectacular. Also, Vancouver BC and the surrounding Islands are just amazing. At least once a summer my wife and i try to get up to Whistler to do some hardcore mountain biking. Even if the biking wasnt so great, the drive up there is more than worth it. Food in Whistler is a little lack luster for it being a major resort town, but then again Im not there for the food.

But Seattle and Portland (and the PNW in general) are pretty cool places to go (I live just west of portland and i really like it here). Also the Oregon coast is really nice and relaxing, even in the rain. Its also good if you have allergies (most of the willamete valley south of portland is the grass seed capitol of the world = lots of dust and pollen in the air during the summer). But there are tons of outdoor stuff to do around here and in june the weather should be fairly decent with not too much rain. If you are planning on being over here for 2-3 weeks I would say, travel around a bit and not just limit yourself to one place in particular. You could start in Seattle, then go down to P-land, then off to the coast for a little bit. Then go up to Mt hood and go skiing/snowbaording (best times i have had snowboarding have been in July up on hood), or go for a nice long hike and snap some wicked pictures. If you do go up to Mt Hood, be sure to stop off a Joes Doughnuts in Sandy on the way. Best dough nuts ever. Who needs fine dining when you can wake up and go have a doughnut at Joes. Then you could keep going east over the mountain and head down to Bend. They have rafting, horseback riding, mtn biking decent food and I think its a high plains desert over there (could be wrong). So you get beautiful weather/sunsets. Crap I am starting to sound like a fricken tourism department commercial. I'll stop now.

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

What month?? I would suggest Yosemite....you can tryout your gear specially your flashlight..

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

Another interesting place, at least for a few days is the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Takes you back in time. No motorized vehicles on the island, except emergency vehicles.

http://www.grandhotel.com/
http://www.mackinac.com/

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

If you are going someplace popular, like Yosemite, book soon--many places are booked months (sometimes years) in advance during popular times.

Ahwahnee Hotel (Yosemite, California)

-Bill

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

My thoughts exactly!!!!

Radio said:

BOSTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click to expand...

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

June....scuba....nightlife...shopping, good food, stunning scenery....
I recommend Hawaii, or SanFran with a drive up the PCH to Monterey wine country.
Pure urban experience is NYC, everything but scuba imho.

Must gauge against what you are used to in Monaco and surroundings..ie Med, and Alps. Some destinations may be a let-down in comparison.

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

A very popular option with European tourists here is to rent or buy an RV and do their own driving tour. Along our "classic" Route 66 you'll see RVs trundling down the road on any given day... apparently middle-of-nowhere stops like the "Bagdad Cafe" are very popular with Europeans.

Of course, this is all on the road that points to the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest and tons of other really neat desert destinations.

I can't tell you how luxurious the local hotels would be, but rental RVs are VERY comfortable.

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

If you want the beach, the North Carolina Outer Banks area has some of the best on the east coast. Consider the Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills area. For a side trip take the ferry over to Ocracoke Island.

Geoff

P.S. Forgot to mention there is plenty of scuba diving done nearby.

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

Each of these areas are a 2 to 4 hours drive away from each other.

Yosemite for mountain/forest hiking, camping, photography.

Monterey/Carmel for fantastic ocean scuba diving.
Water temps run about 50F. 7mm wetsuit or drysuit.
Excellent accommodations and food.

San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose bay area for ANY kind of night life.

DK

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

From today's San Francisco's paper (maybe website...):

Top California Natural Vacation Spots (hiking, camping, walks, etc.)

-Bill

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

Though I'm an Oregon native, and am convinced that this state has the best of everything, for the kind of vacation you want I'd recommend California.

Good diving off the coast, great nightlife, very cosmopolitan cities, a quick drive gets you to the desert or up into the mountains. The only problem is that you won't meet many "real" Americans - I think it's safe to say that Californians are a breed unto themselves.

In all seriousness, "real" Americans live in areas that don't have the amenities you're looking for. It's a bit like going to Mazatlan to see "real" Mexico...can't be done.

sortafast said:

If you do go up to Mt Hood, be sure to stop off a Joes Doughnuts in Sandy on the way. Best dough nuts ever.

Click to expand...

Sorry, but Muno's Bakery in Oregon City has the only doughnuts worth driving for!

-=[ Grant ]=-

Re: Where to go on holiday in the USA?

Rockey Mountains beat anything alse out there.