First time to the US - comments on itinerary

[drron]

You will never see everything in your first visit to the USA.your plan seems very good to me.
LA-definitely many things to do.If you are into gardens here is one-The huntinton gardens.naturally I have a TR of it-
The SSSS tour of celebrations.
The first post gives you the link to the gardens but the US proper starts at post 64.We spent 3 nights in Pasadena-1 day for the gardens and one day to head out to the Desert Hills Premium outlets.Other things near are the Reagan and Nixon Presidential libraries which we enjoyed.
other shopping is best either north-the Carbazon outlets-see the Getty Museum on the way up or down.Or south to the Carlsbad outets-not far from San Diego.

NYC-definitely need 7 days.We had a time share there for some years and have spent a year in total there.Still didn't see everything.Personally I would leave shopping to LA or Vegas-good outlets there but overrun by Chinese now.I know everyone raves about the Woodbury Common outlets a little north of NYC but it was better shopping wise some years ago and now is just far too busy.
For all outlet shopping here is a guide to what stores are in each outlet.
OutletBound
The day after Thanksgiving is great for sales-Black Friday-but everywhere will be bedlam.The guide will give what sales are on.

 

[Pushka]

You will be there on Black Friday! Enjoy!

 

[VPS]

I'm a plus one for the Getty Museum in LA - it was just fantastic. I've never been to the theme parks and don't intend to.

Really dislike Vegas but it was just a stopping point to visit Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. You won't have time for Bryce and Zion but if you go back they are fantastic. I just loved the rock formations and I don't even pretend to understand what they are - not like @RooFlyer

7 days in NYC is great - I'm hoping to get back there next year.

Seattle is on my list and the Chihuly museum although I'm still hopeful to see Chihuly at Kew Gardens this year - saw it in 2005 and loved it but then London is OT.

Enjoy - looking forward to seeing what you decide and the photos.

Good time of the year too and not too many people

 

[rock86]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, sounds like we'll keep to that itinerary as close as we can.

Only thing I didn't realise about thanksgiving was how expensive even basic fares are for transcontinental flights around the holiday!! I'll wait until Southwest release their flights though to see if that makes any difference to the market.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, sounds like we'll keep to that itinerary as close as we can.

Only thing I didn't realise about thanksgiving was how expensive even basic fares are for transcontinental flights around the holiday!! I'll wait until Southwest release their flights though to see if that makes any difference to the market.

Not to mention crazy queues. Busiest travel day of the year.

 

[Jurahn]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, sounds like we'll keep to that itinerary as close as we can.

Only thing I didn't realise about thanksgiving was how expensive even basic fares are for transcontinental flights around the holiday!! I'll wait until Southwest release their flights though to see if that makes any difference to the market.

Our first trip to the US was for about 3 weeks, which included Thanksgiving. What we didn't realise is that it's not just effectively an extended long weekend in the US (with Thanksgiving being on the Thursday), the whole week is vacation time for the majority of schools just about the whole country seems to be on holiday for the week! Everywhere was extremely busy starting from about the Sunday before Thanksgiving until the Monday after.

By the way, would recommend:

LA - La Brea Tar Pits and the Page Museum were absolutely fascinating, and Griffith Observatory is worth a visit as well.
Seattle - definitely Chihuly Garden and Glass, the displays are just jawdropping. Also visited Seattle Glassblowing Studio and did a half hour hands on class there (used a discount coupon from the Groupon US site) which was great fun and you can actually make something to take home with you.
Las Vegas - as a previous poster suggested, Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon are definitely worth a look - we hired a Dodge Challenger (hemi) for the day from Hertz, and had a great time cruising around in that! Mr Jurahn also did a session at Dream Racing at the Las Vegas Speedway during another trip - expensive but oh so much fun

 

[get me outta here]

I used to go at that same time for meetings. I found travelling on the actual day a but quieter.

 

[earlyriser]

I agree with those saying to make some time for Mt Rainer, Yosemite or Zion/Bryce Canyon. Aside from NYC and SF, the next best destinations in the States are National Parks IMO. Seattle is particularly good because it is surrounded by three of them and not far from Vancouver and Portland which both have wonderful scenery as well.

 

[infrequent_jim]

You'll need a good supply of US currency before you land - particularly $1 and $5 bills. You'll need these for tipping the shuttle driver, the doorman, the bellboy etc. Do not be stingy about tipping. When in Rome etc.

Until last December I had mostly transited through LA on the way to or from visiting my son in new York - but this time I had an afternoon to spare between arriving at Tom Bradley and catching the train to Santa Fe (New Mexico). I left my bags at Union Station then went out for a walk. Nearby was a genuine original diner with sawdust on the floor, the oldest house in LA (a Mexican style adobe house), a Mexican market, Mariachi Plaza etc. I walked about 15 blocks along Main Street (aka Skid Row!) to the Grammy Museum (closed for renovations) and found another original Italian diner near there.

That part of LA was, well, interesting to say the least, and I really enjoyed it.

 

[Renato1]

When I think back on our trip over there, my favourite part was driving, both -
a. Driving around LA (much better than driving in Melbourne) and
b. Driving LA to San Diego to Grand Canyon to Las Vegas to San Francisco and back to LA.

It is just such a pleasure to drive over there, and a Nissan Altima from Hertz was costing me A$38 a day using my Amex-Hertz 10% discount.I took my own TomTom. Though, having decided to drive, picking places to stay became fairly easy - the ones that charged nothing or US$12 a day to park overnight, instead of the typical US$40 to US$50 a day. And having a car means you don't have to stay at ridiculously expensive places in the centre of town. Drivers are far more courteous there than Melbourne, and you just have to remember that when you hit an instersection where everyone is facing a STOP sign, treat it like a roundabout, first car there crosses first and so on. And when turning right at a traffic light, you can turn right even when the light is Red, unless a sign says not to (everyone toots you if you don't).

As for New York, you will fall into one of two categories - those who think that 7 days isn't enough, or like us, that we'd had it after four days and wished we had gone somewhere else (too darn crowded). We wished we had booked a few days in Brooklyn instead, which is extremely nice. We did enjoy Washington more than New York. but if New York is the last leg of your stay, you don't want to waste a day getting to Washington, then a day getting back to New York to fly home.
Regards,
Renato

 

[jb747]

I also loathe LA, and would spend zero time there. Even the theme parks are overrated and too expensive.

Love NYC though. A week is easily filled.

 

[Pushka]

We are completely avoiding LA this trip in May. Coming in to Sanf Francisco then over to the Grand Canyon. Then up into Canada and Alaska. Sadly no time for NYC this time.

 

[Virgin Bart]

I also loathe LA, and would spend zero time there. Even the theme parks are overrated and too expensive.

Love NYC though. A week is easily filled.

Totally agree with this entire post.

 

[Hoffsare]

With regard to NY, I find that those who do not enjoy it are often those that for some bizarre reason choose a hotel in or nearby to Times Sq - the absolute worst part of the city. Stay in a nice neighbourhood, personally its the UWS for me but I also enjoy Chelsea, East Village, LES or parts of Brooklyn as a nice place to stay. Everything is so accessible there is no reason to stay in the hell hole of Time Sq or even anywhere in midtown.

I avoid LA like the plague and don't rate SF much higher once you have ticked off Alcatraz and the Bridge. Seattle is great (nice easy access to Vancouver) as is San Diego, but the absolute best thing available on the West Coast in my opinion is Yosemite. Even if you aren't a hiker or outdoorsy person, one can not help but be overwhelmed by the majesty of the place.

 

[get me outta here]

Agree, avoid ^^ TimesS and it's environs except maybe a 10 min walk through to see it once - it is chockers with tourists. Also agree, Chelsea is good as is the LES. I like the garment district to stay as it is a short walk to the theatres and major transport hubs. Re shopping, don't bother with the Outlet stores out of town. They tend to be especially made inferior goods and it is expensive to get to and back and wastes a huge amount of time.

Just make a list of the shops that have perennial sales: Century 21 (start at the top floor and work your way down till you find your niche), Burlington, Macy's etc. Suggest you just work the shops into whatever you are doing as you go past so that shopping doesn't become an exhausting focus. I go to NYC for a month every year and never run out of things to do and see. There's a thread on here somewhere for 'unusual things to do in NYC'.

 

[get me outta here]

If you decide to stopover in LAX, suggest Hermosa/ Manhatten/Redondo Beach area. They are not far from the airport and have shops and cafes on a smaller (for LAX), scale. There are some on AFF that have a residence somewhere in LAX and may advise other places to stay. Agree, a Disneyland visit is expensive and over rated.

 

[clipped_wings]

I was going to write this outstanding, detailed reply on what you should/shouldn't miss - and then it hit me. I'm giving MY advice that I would give to ME.

So all I will say - is have an absolute blast planning your big USA trip! We've been going there since 2000 and I still lust for more. You will not be disappointed, no matter where you go or what you do.

Try to embrace Thanksgiving if you can. It's immensely satisfying to eat your body weight in deep fried turkey before rolling onto the lounge for an afternoon of Coronas and NFL.

Black Friday is to be avoided at all costs, unless you wear steel capped boots. Ask my toes.

And unless it's 75% off - don't consider it a sale.

 

[get me outta here]

There’s a new outlet place starting up : Home - Empire Outlets

 

[subiaco1]

I would agree with the poster who said to stay at the village at the Grand Canyon.

We stayed there one night and it was just awesome. It is way better than wasting time travelling to and from your external hotel.

This applies to Bryce and Zion parks as well.

 

[kookaburra75]

If you decide to stopover in LAX, suggest Hermosa/ Manhatten/Redondo Beach area. They are not far from the airport and have shops and cafes on a smaller (for LAX), scale. There are some on AFF that have a residence somewhere in LAX and may advise other places to stay. Agree, a Disneyland visit is expensive and over rated.

Los Angeles is a bit different, in that it's a collection of cities within a city. Each bit is really different, and it can change massively just crossing the road. We've stayed up in West Hollywood in the past, as others have mentioned, there is a really good bus system to get around. It's relatively easy to get up to Hollywood itself for the glitz/grime, down to the La Brea Tar Pits, or across to Santa Monica & Venice Beach. You can even jump off the bus at Rodeo Drive and wander around. If you have a car, or use Uber, you can also go up to the Griffith Observatory, cruise along Mulholland Drive in the canyon country and drop into the Hollywood Bowl. We've stayed at the Farmers Daughter and the Beverly Laurel Motor Hotel, which have been good.

Lots to see - it's a big place.