U.S.A. Hollywood, NYC, baseball, The Grand Canyon, East coast vs West coast, Starbucks, The Dallas Cowboys Chearleaders, and more... |
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10-31-2007, 01:27 AM
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#1
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sydney
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USA trip for April - general q's... (flights, buses, rentals)
So this is my dilemma:
I want to do:
DC - Philly - NYC - Montreal - Toronto - Winnipeg - Eudora (KS) - Austin (TX).
The leg up from DC to Montreal was going to be done via Amtrak for $350AUD within 15 days. OR $150AUD via Greyhounds... (I think $200 saving speaks for itself). But is a 9 hour trip from NY to Montreal really worth it? I mean, scenery is great but 9 hours worth and I'm wanting to scream and pull my hair out.
What are the cheapest and quickest ways to get around Canada? Westjet seem to be fairly expensive with a oneway ticket from Montreal to Winnipeg for $360CAD. Considering when JetStar have a sale in Australia, we can get a oneway ticket from Sydney to somewhere in japan for that amount INCL taxes... it seems hardly worth it!
Then trying to get from Canada to Texas via Kansas seems to be a whole lot of trouble there...
The option was to train to Albany NY and fly out from there (much cheaper)... so is a 5 hour Greyhound ride BETTER than a 8 hour Amtrak train ride??????
Anyone have ANY suggestions at all about how this can be done?
Is allowing 10 days in NYC enough? too much? I spent a week there last time and felt it wasn't enough.
Also I spent so much time on buses or planes (literally would go to a place for a day or 2 then fly out again) that I felt exhausted and rarely experienced any sort of night life in each city... I probably went out ONCE in NYC... and not even to any pubs or bars...!
Thanking you muchly :D
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10-31-2007, 05:36 AM
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#2
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TPunk Emeritus
Join Date: Mar 2004
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Not sure if you have your plane tickets sorted yet but if you really want to go to Montreal why not fly from OZ into Boston, from which you can get to Montreal in maybe 5 hours by car or you can take another flight from Boston to Montreal? Flying into Toronto is another option. United and Air Canada are part of the Star Alliance. I know you could fly United from Sydney to San Francisco and from there to Boston or probably on Air Canada to Toronto. Flying into DC and then trying to get to Montreal is a little difficult and long, as you pointed out and seems like a more difficult path as you would head Northeast, then have to back track back West and eventually south. Ideally you should probably do: Montreal - Toronto - NYC (which involves back tracking East and South a bit) - Philly - DC.
The Winnipeg - Kansas- Austin part is difficult. Lots of ground to cover and I am less familiar with those places. Hopefully someone else can help you out. Just out of curiousity, do you know people in those places? Those seem like sort of random destinations. I am sure some other people may have good suggestions as well. Good luck!
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10-31-2007, 06:31 AM
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#3
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No one regrets traveling
Join Date: Dec 2006
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I hear Austin is cool but I am guessing you are heading there because you have friends/family in the vicinity right?
--Joey
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10-31-2007, 08:21 AM
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#4
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TPunk. Recognize.
Join Date: Apr 2005
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If you've already spent a week in NYC, i think another 10 days could really be a lot. But that depends on what you're trying to do. If you've seen most of the major sites, 10 more days could be overkill, but i dont know what you're looking for.
Philly can be done in a couple of days. I mean, you can spend a year in a place and not see everything. I usually just try to work with the time i have and see what I can see. No regrets.
When are you thinking about going?
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10-31-2007, 08:38 AM
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#5
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Rabidly Xenophilic
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Austin Texas, but originally from Ann Arbor!
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If you need something to do in Austin we can definitely have a meetup
Or if you just want to know what there is to see here. But I'm guessing you've got a reason to come already...
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10-31-2007, 08:44 AM
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#6
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TPunk Moderator
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yeah, when you're going will affect what kind od travel you'll want to take. for example, when I lived in Chicago, my family and I decided to "see the country" and take the amtrak to Pennsylvania for Christmas instead of flying and it turned out to be the 24 hour ride from hell... the water in the toilets were frozen, I think the heat was broken, and we were at a halt for a long time because the tracks were frozen.
I agree, 10 days in NYC may be a little much, especially if you've already been there, unless you're seeing friends/family or something. maybe opt to do 5 in NYC and 5 somewhere else in the general vicinity... Boston perhaps? Or if it isn't too far out of the way, Chicago is always lovely (maybe not so much in the winter, but where is, really?)
and my advice is, although greyhound can (at times, depending) be a bit sketchy, I think it's the better choice. especially if you're traveling in the winter.
hope this helps!
nicole
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10-31-2007, 03:39 PM
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#7
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sydney
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AW FKN BROWSER!
I typed up everything and was almost finished and then it somehow went "back" and erased everything I typed!
So I wanted to say thanks and I hope the replies keep coming!!!
OK So I've revised the plans (ticket is: Syd - Hnl transit- LA transit- (? city - open jaw ticket i.e. fly into Austin fly out of DC as below) - SF - Hnl - Syd. Everything in between is make our own way):
LA (stopover) - Austin / San Antonio - Eudora / Kansas City - Winnipeg (MAYBE) - Toronto - Montreal - NYC - Philly (MAYBE) - DC - SF / LA
Texas + NYC - Friends I met on my last travel. Didn't spend enough time there last time either
NYC - didn't do any tourist stuff cept check out Coney Island (closed when I went). Anyone know if it'll be open end of April?
Kansas + TX + NY + Philly - Going for the music scene
Winnipeg + Montreal - Friends from home
Toronto + DC + SF - Family
I spent my time in Brooklyn staying at my friend's place (I met her when she was backpacking in Australia 5 years ago) and I loved the "life" there...
We'll mainly be doing the music thing there, so some partying. Not much tourist stuff...
Maracle - Definitely do a meetup. that'd be cool! I need help on accommodation there. I was looking up the SUper 8 Downtown... close to 6th St. Anything else cheap and close? I read about a hostel right near Emos but I could never find anything about it. Any idea?
I did the Greyhound overnight from San Antonio to Dallas in winter last year and I ended up catching a cold which = sucky
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10-31-2007, 04:12 PM
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#8
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An Optimistic Realist.
Join Date: Oct 2003
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yeah, trying to get around the U.S. can be damn difficult. Greyhound is probably the cheapest option.
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10-31-2007, 05:34 PM
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#9
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Rabidly Xenophilic
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Austin Texas, but originally from Ann Arbor!
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That super 8 wouldn't be too bad for what you have in mind. If there's a hostel near emos that would be ideal but I don't know anything about it. There's an extended stay america on 6th that would be in a really nice location but its probably more expensive than a super 8.
Sounds like a fun trip!
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10-31-2007, 06:50 PM
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#10
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TPunk Recognized
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Texas
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When are you going to be in Austin?
Keep us updated and I may be able to meet up with you guys too. My dad lives there so I'm town fairly often...
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-- FDR
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10-31-2007, 08:18 PM
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#11
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Sydney
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lost in texas
When are you going to be in Austin?
Keep us updated and I may be able to meet up with you guys too. My dad lives there so I'm town fairly often...
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Probably just after South by Southwest... Around Easter maybe?
I'm looking at staying there for about 6 days and drive up to San Antonio for maybe 1 or 2 of those 6 days...
It'll be cool to meet up with people.
Anyone from Philly or Kansas City? Need people to take us around there too
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10-31-2007, 08:30 PM
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#12
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always trippin'
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The Island of Rhode
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I've had more than my fair share of time on greyhounds...anything over six hours gets a little annoying. They are definitely cheaper than the trains (although still expensive), although the trains are decidedly more comfy. I think Amtrak does a 15% discount with the ISIC card if you have one. Not entirely sure, but if so, and if you are a student, it might help.
My preferred way of seeing the US is roadtripping, but I don't think you'll have that option unless you want to rent cars.
I personally probably wouldn't spend 10 days in NYC, but then again I go there fairly regularly. Interested in checking out more of Canada maybe? Quebec City is pretty close to Montreal...hehe.
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11-02-2007, 02:21 PM
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#13
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No one regrets traveling
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Tampa, FL
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If you decide to pull a Hwei, it might be cheaper to buy a car on one coast, and sell it on the other.
The driving on the otherside of the road bit could be entertaining
--Joey
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Next up: Mongolia, China
"I sought trains; I found passengers" - Paul Theroux
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