US Holiday

[WhyAlwaysMe]

The dollar is looking good for anyone going soon

Just as long as you're not flying Qantas

 

[camsmith]

Should fly V Australia... so so good.

offtopic, when will you be in the UK?

 

[Espe]

Should fly V Australia... so so good.

offtopic, when will you be in the UK?

Yeh they are fantastic.

Speaking of flights. Just a heads up if anyone is a student/under 25 and is looking to go to the U.S in their summer period of 2012, book through STA as they have student flights for just under $1500, flying Air New Zealand, for that peak period (Qantas and V are well over $2000 and most likely won't come down much)

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Another who thought V were excellent

 

[Del35196]

Geez nobody uses Greyhound unless they really have to. The depots are usually in old ( read dodgy parts of town). Unless you like a bit of "adventure" in your travels i would stay away from iy.

There is a reason its cheap.

Yeh super cheap way of going but pray to god you dont get anybody sitting next to you. I went from Dallas to LA in summer and after going a roundabout way it took 33 hours, and I had some bugger next to me the whole way on a full bus. Torture at is finest that is!

And yeh stations arent much better. Been to Seattle's a few times and thats just one weird joint. Thankfully during the day you feel reasonably ok but after dark you may as well walk through the Bronx.

Yeh good old Greyhound, fond memories.

 

[d0gs]

Anyone have any tips about staying in Hawaii? Going there for a few weeks in early January so anything related to shopping, food, tours etc etc will be appreciated

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Anyone have any tips about staying in Hawaii? Going there for a few weeks in early January so anything related to shopping, food, tours etc etc will be appreciated

I stayed on the Big Island because it is not as crowded and the accommodation is generally nicer for the price. You can island hop though and see the other islands, and hit the touristy spots like Waikiki and Honolulu, Pearl Harbour on Oahu.

I'd say you would probably rather stay on Oahu, because there is more to see and do and island hop to the other islands for a couple of days, take a volcano tour, see lava flowing etc.

They had a Macy's and Walmart in Kona, and you can fly out internationally from there as well, so I'd imagine you will be spoilt for choice on Oahu. If you do fly in to Kona, the outdoor airport with baggage check under an thatched roof is a nice touch. Probably easier to drive on the Big Island too.

 

[2009premiers]

Anyone have any tips about staying in Hawaii? Going there for a few weeks in early January so anything related to shopping, food, tours etc etc will be appreciated

Went there in July/August for 16 days.

Stayed 9 nights on Oahu and 7 nights on Maui.

Oahu - heaps of things to see like Honolulu, Waikiki, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, Hanauma Bay, North Shore beaches, Kualoa Ranch. Parking is a nightmare in Waikiki and the Freeways are like LA at times. There is a bus that circles the whole island so a car is not critical. Main shopping is at Ala Moana centre, border of Waikiki/Honolulu and Aloha Stadium markets. If you stay in Waikiki then you will probably be eating out a lot. There is a cheap 24 hour restaurant across from the Hilton (Wailana Coffee House). Didnt do any tours but drove around the island. I would recommend staying up near the Marina or down near Diamond Head as it is quieter at night. Get used to shopping at ABC stores....

Maui - Dont stay in the main town (Kahalui) as it is a hole. There are two resort strips on the west coast. They are both pretty good. Best spots were Kaanapali and Wailea, but I beach hopped for 5 days down the west coast from Honolua Bay to La Perouse Bay. Lahaina is small but worth a good half day visit. You must do the Hana Highway trip which takes a full day, and you can buy a CD which narrates the trip. You also must do the Haleakala sunrise and maybe bike down, which effectively takes another day. Had a serviced apartment so cooked myself mostly. Iao Needle is probably the only other thing to visit. Golf courses are great also. You definitely need a car in Maui.

All beaches are public in Hawaii, so you can walk right through the 5 star hotels and have the same access as people staying there have. I snorkelled everywhere and swam with heaps of exotic fish, turtles, stingrays and coral reefs. The water was dead flat at that time of the year. I didnt see any surf at North Shore, which is huge during winter.

It is not recommended that you do more than one island a week. If I go again I will definitely go to the Big Island to see the active volcano. Unfortunately it started erupting just as I left.

 

[clarky449]

Flew V in July. Had a domestic flight from Melb to Syd then onto LA, this was Wed. That flight from Melb was delayed due to weather in Sydney so we got put on a direct flight the next day.

Next day comes and the flight was meant to leave at 10:30am from the top of my memory. Delay due to operational requirements, then at 11:30 we will be boarding at 11:30, Ummm okay... Time moves to 11:45 and the flight has been delayed again due to operational requirements. We were told about 1:00pm that the flight will be departing at 8:00PM that night so we waited and waited and then we get told the flight has been Cancelled until 5am tomorrow Morning.

So we got put up in a hotel with Buffet Dinner only to get a call at 12:00pm saying the flight has again been delayed till 5:00PM. Then we finally left at 5:00PM on the Friday. Was funny seeing the news filming us while we checked in again.

Felt sorry for the workers but cant fault them one bit. Especially when they had to put up with a few people that spent the arvo waiting in the Pub. The inflight experience was great, love the mood lightning and i would be happy to fly with them again even after the problems.

 

[WCErevival]

Ok Im looking at going to the US next year most likely around June/July by myself. I'm probably going to do a Contiki for 2 weeks to get me adjusted. The one I might be doing goes from LA --> Vegas --> NY. Now I want to stay for another couple of weeks and do some travel by myself. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do? Could you spend that 2 weeks in New York? What would you do?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Ok Im looking at going to the US next year most likely around June/July by myself. I'm probably going to do a Contiki for 2 weeks to get me adjusted. The one I might be doing goes from LA --> Vegas --> NY. Now I want to stay for another couple of weeks and do some travel by myself. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do? Could you spend that 2 weeks in New York? What would you do?

Not only could you spend 2 weeks in New York, it is a prerequisite.

Check the thread for ideas as there are heaps in here. You would spend more than a week just doing the tourist highlights.

 

[Del35196]

Ok Im looking at going to the US next year most likely around June/July by myself. I'm probably going to do a Contiki for 2 weeks to get me adjusted. The one I might be doing goes from LA --> Vegas --> NY. Now I want to stay for another couple of weeks and do some travel by myself. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do? Could you spend that 2 weeks in New York? What would you do?

You could easily spend 2 weeks in NY- you can take day trips to Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston, Niagra Falls if you want. Highly reccomend Washington DC.

 

[WCErevival]

Ok might plan around that then. A few day trips sounds like a good idea.

 

[2009premiers]

Ok Im looking at going to the US next year most likely around June/July by myself. I'm probably going to do a Contiki for 2 weeks to get me adjusted. The one I might be doing goes from LA --> Vegas --> NY. Now I want to stay for another couple of weeks and do some travel by myself. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to do? Could you spend that 2 weeks in New York? What would you do?

I would seriously reconsider that Contiki tour. I reckon some of the best parts of California and Nevada (and southern Utah and Northern Arizona) are visited by car. By flying between LA and SF, you miss the great Pacific Highway. By flying SF to LV, you miss Yosemite and Death Valley. The west is best done via a road trip with a group.

Given a month of travel, I would just focus on either the north-east or south-west, or south-east. My first trip to the USA/CAN started Washington DC (4), Philadelphia (3), New York (8), Boston (4), Montreal (3), Ottawa (2), Toronto (3), Niagara Falls (1), Chicago (5) and took a touch over a month (days in brackets). This itinerary gives a great introduction to the history of the countries.

All trips via rail or bus, except Niagara to Chicago which cost $50 airfare on SouthWest (taxi to airport cost more).

I recommend travelling alone, especially for a short time frame - there is a separate thread on this.

 

[WCErevival]

I would seriously reconsider that Contiki tour. I reckon some of the best parts of California and Nevada (and southern Utah and Northern Arizona) are visited by car. By flying between LA and SF, you miss the great Pacific Highway. By flying SF to LV, you miss Yosemite and Death Valley. The west is best done via a road trip with a group.

Given a month of travel, I would just focus on either the north-east or south-west, or south-east. My first trip to the USA/CAN started Washington DC (4), Philadelphia (3), New York (8), Boston (4), Montreal (3), Ottawa (2), Toronto (3), Niagara Falls (1), Chicago (5) and took a touch over a month (days in brackets). This itinerary gives a great introduction to the history of the countries.

All trips via rail or bus, except Niagara to Chicago which cost $50 airfare on SouthWest (taxi to airport cost more).

I recommend travelling alone, especially for a short time frame - there is a separate thread on this.

Yeah I created that thread. As I said in there the contiki is to get me started as I havent done much travel and none alone. I'm still in pre planning but I need to sort something out.

 

[peejay]

Ok might plan around that then. A few day trips sounds like a good idea.

You can easily do boston as a day trip - albeit a 20 - 24 hour one. If you like baseball or even if you like great sporting stadiums go to a game at Fenway park - in 2012 it will be 100 years old and is a great old style ball park and the crowd go nuts.

I did this itinerary all in a day and it was very doable.

8am train to boston - got there at about noon.
Did a trip around the down town area on a hop on hop off shuttle loop( cost about $20 and included a cruise on Boston harbour with commentary) that finished at around 3ish from memory - Game started at 7.30 so had 4 hours to walk around and check out some of the things spoken about on the loop - plenty of good stuff in the region.

Walked to the ground ( could have taken short cab ride) after the game walked back to the station and caught a midnight bus back to NYC ( bus was an hour late so actually left at 1am and arrived approx 5am) then walked back to wheer i was staying.

The bus was something like $15 - $20 . The train was a little more - maybe $40 but i wanted the train experience. Both the train arrival and bus departure were from the same place - South street sation in boston.

I managed to sleep on the bus but even if not you should be back by 5am so can catch another 5 hours to enable you to be fresh by late morning/ noon.

Look its pretty full on but at least you don't have to check out - take all your gear and check back in.

Google fenway park and you tube sweet Caroline at fenway park - its amazing. - And i am not even a red sox fan.

 

[Donstuie]

I'd love to go to Fenway. If I decide to go to Boston I'll try to make sure I'll be there when a game is on (and that I don't have to buy a scalped ticket).

As far as my own trip is concerned, recent developments have encouraged me to review my itinerary and trim some of the "fat" from it. Mainly the timing of it (I might go a bit later now) and eliminating some of the ground travel for time (specifically the dream of hopping on the Rocky Mountaineer will have to wait) and cutting down time in places like Boston/Philly/DC/Montreal to day trips. I also like the idea again of stopping in Nadi on the way back home, both to relax for a couple of days but also because it'd be a good chance to revisit some spots I remember as a kid (I lived in Suva for two years in the early 90s). So it could potentially be a perfect way to finish the whole thing off.

 

[peejay]

I'd love to go to Fenway. If I decide to go to Boston I'll try to make sure I'll be there when a game is on (and that I don't have to buy a scalped ticket).
As far as my own trip is concerned, recent developments have encouraged me to review my itinerary and trim some of the "fat" from it. Mainly the timing of it (I might go a bit later now) and eliminating some of the ground travel for time (specifically the dream of hopping on the Rocky Mountaineer will have to wait) and cutting down time in places like Boston/Philly/DC/Montreal to day trips. I also like the idea again of stopping in Nadi on the way back home, both to relax for a couple of days but also because it'd be a good chance to revisit some spots I remember as a kid (I lived in Suva for two years in the early 90s). So it could potentially be a perfect way to finish the whole thing off.

You will only need to buy a sclaped ticket if its a yankees game as the stadium is not a big one - approx 45 000 and they sell out well in advance. For any other game you can get them online at the red sox website a couple of weeks before. If it is a real no name team you could probably buy them in the week before.

 

[2009premiers]

Yeah I created that thread. As I said in there the contiki is to get me started as I havent done much travel and none alone. I'm still in pre planning but I need to sort something out.

You slightly misunderstood my post. I would recommend land travel between LA, Vegas and San Fran. There is a contiki tour that goes LA, Sand Diego, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Vegas, Yosemite, San Fran.

 

[Del35196]

You will only need to buy a sclaped ticket if its a yankees game as the stadium is not a big one - approx 45 000 and they sell out well in advance. For any other game you can get them online at the red sox website a couple of weeks before. If it is a real no name team you could probably buy them in the week before.

Or go to Stubhub or GoTickets. Basically they are tickets that the owner puts up for sale using a 3rd party. Have used them a couple of times before and never had problems. Can get tickets to all 2012 games now. Yankess tickets start at about $20 but if your keen you can get up to over a $1000.

 

[WCErevival]

You slightly misunderstood my post. I would recommend land travel between LA, Vegas and San Fran. There is a contiki tour that goes LA, Sand Diego, Phoenix, Grand Canyon, Vegas, Yosemite, San Fran.

Yeah I seen that one. The reason I want to do the other one is they spend mulitple days in each place and give you free days. The others all look like a rush job with only 1 day in each town.

 

[Leslie_Chow]

Or go to Stubhub or GoTickets. Basically they are tickets that the owner puts up for sale using a 3rd party. Have used them a couple of times before and never had problems. Can get tickets to all 2012 games now. Yankess tickets start at about $20 but if your keen you can get up to over a $1000.

+1 to Stubhub

Got my ticket for the Jets vs Giants game on Christmas eve. A great site with tickets for all US sports

 

[SonOfScray]

Use stubhub. Goto Fenway Park.

I am a Red Sox fan and to get a chance to goto the ball park was awesome, they just have it nailed in terms of honoring their history and identity as a sports Club and everything about their stadium reflects it.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Fenway when I went... Completely under snow.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Fenway when I went... Completely under snow.

When we went in December 2009 we wanted to go on a tour but it was all shut down because of the damn NHL winter classic.

I got in to San Francisco yesterday. I haven't seen a great deal yet but from what I can tell it's a magnificent city.