going to USA!

[beck]

Hey there! I'm from Australia and have never been out of the country before, I'm leaving for US at the end of August to travel for a few months, haven't actually planned anything except that my flight lands in New york, leaves from LA, and I have tickets to see Nine Inch Nails in Hollywood on 1st of october.....
I'll be over there for about 3 months hopefully, just wanting some tips on where i should or shouldn't bother going since i don't have a lot of time (or money!!) to see it all????
Thanks!!!!

[tumblezweedz]

What are you interested in seeing/doing? - Cities, wildlife, sports, music, food,...

How are you planning on getting around? - train, bus, renting a car, point-to-point flights...

Have you already got some ideas of "must do's" (besides the concert?) - NYC, the Grand Canyon, Hollywood...

Since you have a good amount of time you could really do a nice circuit covering most of the different regions, so let us know your interests/ideas and then wait for the flood of suggestions!

[omisan]

You're seeing NIN @ the Hollywood Bowl? You Bastard!

Like Tumblez said, fill us in on what you want to see/do, and we can give you some tips. I've got California pretty well covered.

Welcome aboard.

[Joker]

hey!

Welcome to the states!

At some point or another, there should be a group of us TPunks getting together in a major US city, so definitely try and get out to hang out!

Omi has the west coast, I'm sure I can help out with the east coast, and KCL and crew can fill in the midwest!!

[worldwidemike]

Our National Parks are pretty impressive...so I recommend them. There are so many, it'd take forever to list them all. I'd say get a guidebook from the library and see what jumps out at you the most.

And definitely let us know once you have some basic ideas worked out. There are lots of Tpunkers to meet up with while you work you way across the states!

worldwidemike

[living the adventure]

horray that you're coming to the states! like everybody else said let us know what you're interested in. but don't forget the south, there's a lot of great things here that a lot of travellers miss out on. for one the people, but also cooking, some great lakes and hiking, beaches etc. i've been travlling for a few months, and something i realized midway through my trip is that i really like the smaller less touristy place, because you get a feel for the people and the culture, and there are less forigners. just a thought. good luck planning, sometimes it's almost as fun.

[MeTurk]

Our National Parks are pretty impressive...so I recommend them.

Yeah! Most people never realise that America has alot of wildlife (it's not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of America anyway) and proper wildlife, most wildlife in Europe has been replaced by farmland. Ireland hasn't got any national parks that I know of. That's why Ireland and England look so different from America we're using up every square inch of land for something.

[beck]

Wow thanks for all the replies guys! I didn't know sites like this existed, I'm really surprised!
OK, so I really don't have any plans, all I know is that I'm not going to have a lot of cash, so I'd like to experience as much 'FREE' things as possible! So I guess that would be more the nature side of things than being in big cities. My friend that I'm meeting over there wants to hire a car to drive around a little bit, but mainly I suppose we'll be busing it, or whatever public transport they have in US? He said he found some website about people who want their cars moved from one state to another, and you can drive it there for them and therefore get a free car, does anyone know what thats all about?
We really really want to go to Vegas too! Especially after watching 'Fear and Loathing'...ha ha! Maybe someone could recommend a good place to stay at when your there? I heard that it's worth spending more to stay in a poshier place over there, because its all really cheap, is that true?

[MeTurk]

or whatever public transport they have in US?

Hourses, mainly hourses and wagons from the look of it.

Vegas was my only real experience of America and it's well worth a look, but it's not that cheep unless your gambling. $4.50 for a bottle o' beer at the casino bar we where at (Excaliber, I wouldn't stay at that one) the NY NY is a very lively place. But just walking down the street is entertainment (for the bogger like me anyway)

I wouldn't discribe Vegas as cheep but you do get good value for your money.

[kingcrazylegs]

I am with WWMike on the National Parks. And cheap...you can buy a Nationalt Parks Pass for $50 and that get you into every National Park for a year!

[Joker]

Originally posted by beck@Jun 20 2005, 07:02 AM

We really really want to go to Vegas too! Especially after watching 'Fear and Loathing'...ha ha! Maybe someone could recommend a good place to stay at when your there? I heard that it's worth spending more to stay in a poshier place over there, because its all really cheap, is that true?

Well, Bazooko's Circus may be a bit packed for your stay :D

(Good God, Man!!)

Stay somewhere off the strip, the difference in price is huge. I paid $20 a night in a motel versus $50 in a similar place right on the strip. And there were no goddamned lizards running around fucking with some asshole feeding them booze! I didn't need any golf shoes to make it outta there alive :D


Sorry, touched a nerve. :D

[LiveFreeorDie]

Here is a good website for info on National Parks. It breaks them down by State and by Region so you can figure out a route. If you do a lot of parks, you could likely camp a lot, which would be a lot cheaper for you.

National Parks

Unfortunately, the U.S. does not have the same level of train service that Europe does, so your best bet is either bus, or you may be able to score some cheap airfares on some of the discount airlines in the U.S. For trains there is Amtrak, but my experience has been that Amtrak is generally just as expensive as the discount airlines. Some discount airlines to check out:

Southwest
Jet Blue

Or you can try Travelocity, Expedia or Orbitz (all .com), however, some discount airlines do not sell tickets through those outlets.

For buses, you can check out:
Greyhound

They are the largest busline in the U.S.

Good luck, there is a lot to see, it all depends on your interests.

[SuDz]

Hey since your landing in NYC, you oculd always head to Boston on the Chinatown to Chinatown bus. It runs almost every hours, takes about 4 hours and is only $10 bucks each way.

If your winding up in the Boston or even Massachusetts area send me an email or something or PM me here on this site and I can help you out or even show you around some if your intrested.

SuDZ

[space virgin]

If you make it out to the Pacific NW area let me know, I'm in Seattle and always up for showing people around.

[tumblezweedz]

Check out the amtrak website (www.amtrak.com) for info about rail travel in the US. There are some passes available that are pretty good deals. I travelled over 10,000 miles around the US, covering almost the whole country, with one of their passes a few years back.

[LaurieL622]

msg me if you need any info about vegas clubs, etc. I've partied in vegas way too many times . you should visit yellowstone, the grand canyon, vegas, nyc, d.c., the dirty south (and south beach, fl), and of course...the entire california coast.

i'm from southern california...let me know if you need specific info about the los angeles/orange county area.

[beck]

Originally posted by MeTurk@Jun 20 2005, 06:43 AM
Hourses, mainly hourses and wagons from the look of it.*

Horses and wagons eh? Down here in Aus we tend to ride Kangaroos around more than horses.....

[beck]

Originally posted by Joker@Jun 20 2005, 08:43 AM
And there were no goddamned lizards running around fucking with some asshole feeding them booze! I didn't need any golf shoes to make it outta there alive :D

Hey, don't ruin my fantasies!!!
I'm taking my golf shoes anyway, you just never know.....
And I'm not getting into any elevators either....thats just what they want you to do......
Ha ha!

[darkvelveteyes]

can i trade places with you? i wanna head to oz!!!

[Hey since your landing in NYC, you oculd always head to Boston on the Chinatown to Chinatown bus. It runs almost every hours, takes about 4 hours and is only $10 bucks each way.]

last time i took the chinatown bus to Boston it was $15, this was a month ago, thought i'd add that, though thats not expensive. but the price went up.
If you do want to see DC and Philly as well you can also take the chinatown bus from the same place (on the bowery) they all have pretty much the same schedule. late night rides, fast, efficient, even if there were a few frogs (not the french, literally there were frogs) hopping around.

I'm from around NYC and have lived and traveled around the east coast (mainly the northeast, just south as north carolina, and to miami (which i don't count as the south)

if you want any info on NYC, i've got loads of it, as well as Philly and DC since i've lived in those cities for long periods of time as well.

Happy trails

[SuDz]

Originally posted by darkvelveteyes@Jun 20 2005, 11:10 PM
last time i took the chinatown bus to Boston it was $15, this was a month ago, thought i'd add that, though thats not expensive. but the price went up.

It is entirely possible, but the price is still great. I mean just trying to find parking in NYC is enough of a mission never mind the 10 bucks or more an hour it will run in most places.


I checked the website and it does look like it has gone up to $15. Guess the good old days of $10 are over hehe.

SuDZ