Traveling Around The States, Best Cities To See?

MoyVilla9

Hello all,

I'm based in New York until September (Working here on a J1 Internship Visa) and want to see a bit of the States in Mid-June, or afterwards if that makes sense.

Does anyone have ideas for best places and cities to visit?

I'm already very familiar with the East Coast as I've been here numerous times and have seen Baltimore, Washington DC, Boston already.

Really want to see something different this time, be that the West Coast or the South.

Since the budget is limited I would be looking at leaving and coming to New York within 7-8 days.

athtrasna

On our trips to the US we used to always throw in a random city and my favourites by far were San Antonio and Austin. Lots to see and do, great food, great social scene, really friendly people.

The other thing is check cheap flights...we've flown to San Juan and St. Thomas on two separate trips ex Chicago but the flights came in at under $150 and if you go slightly off season you can get great hotel deals on hotwire and priceline. Deals from the New York area airports too. The way I looked at it is that at least 49 of the states were easily accessible from Ireland in the future but to book a Caribbean trip as a stand alone from Ireland would be prohibitively expensive, so it was a great way to do it.

rossie1977

miami (south beach), las vegas and san francisco are all great spots and would highly recommend

AnthonyCun

Austin is one the best cities I've ever been too

InTheTrees

New Orleans

With out a doubt, there is no other city like it in the US. The architecture is amazing, the people are friendly, the food is incredible and the music is all over the place and if you like to stay out late it makes las vegas look tame.

Its one of the very few us cities where they haven't gutted the city centre. You could spend a week there and not need a car.

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=29.958453,-90.063338&spn=0.00283,0.005633&t=m&z=18&layer=c&cbll=29.958556,-90.064263&panoid=KXaf4q3hVEmHODF1nso3nA&cbp=12,236.67,,0,-1.22

sideswipe

All good suggestions so far, I loved Santa Fe. A little off the beaten track but worth it IMO

tfitzgerald

New Orleans would get my vote as well there is lots to do and see there. I've being to Memphis as well but if you're not an elvis fan then stay away

InTheTrees

On the west coast I'd recommend San Francisco first, then LA, then Seattle.

You could do a round trip; New Orleans for four days then SF for four days?

MoyVilla9

All good suggestions.

Austin & New Orleans sounds very interesting but is the South miserable in summer time? I don't mind 90-95 degree weather, it's the humidity that's awful. Not sure what that area is like.

I like the idea of going from New York-New Orleans-California and then back to New York from there. Is L.A. worth seeing?

InTheTrees

MoyVilla9 wrote: »

I like the idea of going from New York-New Orleans-California and then back to New York from there. Is L.A. worth seeing?

Yes. LA is amazing. One of the worlds top cities. The only seriously difficult thing about LA is that you really have to have a car. Europeans get caught out all the time thinking its just those lazy yanks insisting you need a car there. But you really do. Public transport is basic at best and distances are large so taxis are expensive. SO if you're not driving I would certainly skip LA.

However in SF you dont need a car. But the city center is pretty small so that you'll only want 3-4 days there without getting out of the city.

I'm assuming since you're in NY, you're not doing a lot of driving? If you are up for renting a car... the drive up the coast from LA to SF is spectacular.

InTheTrees

MoyVilla9 wrote: »

Austin & New Orleans sounds very interesting but is the South miserable in summer time? I don't mind 90-95 degree weather, it's the humidity that's awful. Not sure what that area is like.

Yes. Mid-june will be deadly but for New Orleans at least it kind of adds to the atmosphere. There's more people out and about after dark. The music carries further and the exotic smells are stronger(!).

Dunno about Austin though. I'm not a big fan of texas. Desert tends to be a lot less humid.

San Fransisco will be beautiful weather though. It gets a lot of fog in the summer but its localized and burns off as the day progresses.

CaliforniaDream

I'd recommend San Diego, Nashville, Key West and Chicago.

San Diego and Key West are two of my favourite places I've been to in the US, but I love being by the ocean so I may be biased.

seanmacc

Portland Oregon. I used to live near there and it is exactly like the video says.

Plus there is fantastic beer there.

Mousewar

+1 San Francisco. Loved it. Amazing city.

With regards driving in LA - i found it a frickin nightmare. Universal studios is worth going to though. About 75 bucks in but worth it.

InTheTrees

Mousewar wrote: »

With regards driving in LA - i found it a frickin nightmare.

Unfortunately this is common.

I think its partly because you cant be prepared for LA, because there's nowhere else like it, no other city was so completely planned around the use of the car.

Not at all uncommon to find places you can get to on foot. And also common to find hotels and restaurants that only have valet parking.

Its a shame really because its a really cool place.

InTheTrees

seanmacc wrote: »

Portland Oregon. I used to live near there and it is exactly like the video says.

For the last ten years or so Portland has been a magnet for the disaffected youth of the nation.

Up here in Seattle, we're expecting now that we've made weed legal, the kids will start flocking here again.

seanmacc

InTheTrees wrote: »

For the last ten years or so Portland has been a magnet for the disaffected youth of the nation.

Up here in Seattle, we're expecting now that we've made weed legal, the kids will start flocking here again.

But Portland is 15 mins drive from the Washington boarder.

I do like Seattle, it just doesn't have the quirkiness that Portland has. But then again if the OP is travelling the two cities are only 2 and half hours drive from one another.

InTheTrees

seanmacc wrote: »

But Portland is 15 mins drive from the Washington boarder.

True. We can only hope they buy their weed in WA and then take it home.

seanmacc

InTheTrees wrote: »

True. We can only hope they buy their weed in WA and then take it home.

I'm not sure what way they're doing the weed but I think that you'll need a Washington drivers licence. I'm going back there in June and am glad I held on to mine.

athtrasna

LA is an awful city...the beach towns around it are worth a visit but LA doesn't have a city centre like you know it...some things to see but most in neighbourhoods you'll want to get the hell out of asap.

I didn't love San Fran either...the homeless problem really got to me. I have travelled extensively but never seen anything like it in a developed country. Made me feel really uncomfortable.

We have friends in Laguna so have spent a lot of time in Southern California, some nice towns around there, and San Diego is by far my favourite city in California. There are lots of airports in So. Cal. too, Southwest fly into Orange County and Jet Blue into 2 or 3 airports in the region. You should be able to pick up flights to Vegas for well under $100 from there.

MadsL

seanmacc wrote: »

I'm not sure what way they're doing the weed but I think that you'll need a Washington drivers licence. I'm going back there in June and am glad I held on to mine.

Colorado are not insisting on residence for buyers...

MadsL

InTheTrees wrote: »

Dunno about Austin though. I'm not a big fan of texas. Desert tends to be a lot less humid.

Austin is NOT in the desert, Texas is a big state and has many climates. Austin is a subtropical humid climate. Trust me I do live in the desert (which I love) - Austin is also NOT Texas, despite being State Capital and Live Music Capital of the US. Austin is the People's Republic of Texas, man and doncha forget it a verry hip vibe, great music, great food and party town par excellence.

Also, screw Miami South Beach...disappointing and expensive frankly. Get your redneck on instead and go to the Everglades, the most remarkable place on earth. Nine ecosystems and apex predators you can stand next to. It just teems with life, take a kayak trip with a guide and be prepared to be wowed. Then head off to Key West and drink Rum...yahhhh!

KegglesMcS

rossie1977 wrote: »

miami (south beach), las vegas and san francisco are all great spots and would highly recommend

San Fran and Vegas I agree but south beach Miami? Complete kip from my experience. My favourite city in the us is Chicago. I spent 5 years in New York and have seen most of the country. Chicago is just the best!

rossie1977

KegglesMcS wrote: »

San Fran and Vegas I agree but south beach Miami? Complete kip from my experience.

ocean drive, lincoln road, espanola way, great weather year round, clean white sandy beach that stretches for 10 miles unbroken, worldfamous nightlife

such a kip miami was named cleanest city in america few years ago http://www.smartdestinations.com/blog/miami-named-cleanest-city-in-america/

MadsL

rossie1977 wrote: »

ocean drive, lincoln road, espanola way, great weather year round, clean white sandy beach that stretches for 10 miles unbroken, worldfamous nightlife

such a kip miami was named cleanest city in america few years ago http://www.smartdestinations.com/blog/miami-named-cleanest-city-in-america/

Yeah, it has it's redeeming features alright but it is money money money if you really want to live the South Beach lifestyle. Which makes it tough on tourists.