Travel USA travel tips and tricks

[-WWJD-]

There were about 60 people on tour and most of us were solo so we were all in the same boat. Most of us had a chat on Facebook before the tour and some of us hung out in LA before we started.

A few little cliques formed pretty quickly that sort of stuck to themselves and anyone who was traveling together, especially couples tended to exclude themselves a little bit but for the most part we were all one big happy group and you could sit with a different person on each bus ride or at a dinner and still have a good time.

I got lucky and my room mate pulled out just before the tour started so I had a room to myself in each city but didn't have to pay extra.

 

[Iason]

If you guys need restaurant/bar tips for NYC, just ask. Moved recently to Denver, but I'm born and raised in the area.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Honestly don't know why you would Contiki USA. Just my opinion but you're doing yourself a disservice.

 

[WCErevival]

Honestly don't know why you would Contiki USA. Just my opinion but you're doing yourself a disservice.

The reason why I'm doing it is because this will be the first time I have ever travelled alone and been to the US. The contiki is to get me started and then I'm going it alone.

 

[BEEG]

Been to Vegas twice with the boys and Hawaii now looking to do a trip for about a month with the mrs

Places we have come up with is

NewYork
LA
Vegas
San Fran
New Orleans
Miami

Need to break it down to about to about 4-5 places

Only want to spend about 4 days each in LA and Vegas and week in New York

So how would people who have experience book the trip what would they start with and end with

Also how far is NewJersey from New York i know its close but is it driving distance would you catch a cab there

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Also how far is NewJersey from New York i know its close but is it driving distance would you catch a cab there

Just cross the Holland Tunnel or the Lincoln Tunnel from Manhattan and you are in New Jersey. Depends on where in New Jersey you want to go.

Put it this way, Newark Airport in New Jersey is one of the 3 airports that service New York City so yes, you can catch a cab there. Liberty Island (therefore Statue of Liberty) is in New Jersey and maintained by New Jersey despite being classed as part of New York City. It's very weird.

Are we talking Hoboken, Jersey City, Jersey Shore, somewhere in particular?

 

[BEEG]

Just cross the Holland Tunnel or the Lincoln Tunnel from Manhattan and you are in New Jersey. Depends on where in New Jersey you want to go.

Put it this way, Newark Airport in New Jersey is one of the 3 airports that service New York City so yes, you can catch a cab there. Liberty Island (therefore Statue of Liberty) is in New Jersey and maintained by New Jersey despite being classed as part of New York City. It's very weird.

Are we talking Hoboken, Jersey City, Jersey Shore, somewhere in particular?

Metlife Stadium in Jersey would be the location

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Metlife Stadium in Jersey would be the location

It's roughly only about 6 miles or so from the start of the Holland Tunnel in Manhattan so it comes down to traffic.

Plenty of sites out there talking about public transport or cars, but parking is an issue. One answer said to take a cab or if you can afford it, a limo, so it seems like the trip itself is not a big deal. You would imagine that traffic heading that way would be an issue so I wonder if you could get a flat fare from some cab company. Apparently some offer that for airport trips so you never know.

 

[BEEG]

It's roughly only about 6 miles or so from the start of the Holland Tunnel in Manhattan so it comes down to traffic.

Plenty of sites out there talking about public transport or cars, but parking is an issue. One answer said to take a cab or if you can afford it, a limo, so it seems like the trip itself is not a big deal. You would imagine that traffic heading that way would be an issue so I wonder if you could get a flat fare from some cab company. Apparently some offer that for airport trips so you never know.

Ok great thats really good to know thanks for your help i will just have to figure something out but at worse its possible to take a Taxi which is good to know

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Ok great thats really good to know thanks for your help i will just have to figure something out but at worse its possible to take a Taxi which is good to know

Yeah, it will all come down to where you are staying as to which route is best. Unless you are staying west of midtown down, you will travel more miles in Manhattan than you will in New Jersey.

There is a heap of public transport info there but I know it is confusing. The good thing if you are going there for a game is that there will be no end of people to follow from any given subway station.

http://www.newyorkjets.com/footer/transportation-faq.html

How do I get to the game from New York City?

1. Best way: Take NRQ or DF subway lines to 34 St-Herald Square Station.

Transfer to a Hoboken-bound PATH train on the mezzanine level. PATH accepts Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard. Get off at the Hoboken PATH Station and walk upstairs to the NJ Transit Rail Station. Buy a ticket to Meadowlands Sports Complex Station and locate your train to the game.

2. Take ACE or 123 subway lines to 34 St-Penn Station.

Go to any NJ Transit station clerk or Ticket Vending Machine, and buy a round-trip ticket to Meadowlands Station. Look on the departure boards for the next NJ Transit train that stops at Secaucus Junction Station. The screen will say "SEC" next to the line name.

Board that train and ride it to Secaucus Junction, and then use your ticket to transfer via the escalators to the Meadowlands Service.

Sounds confusing but not if you are following the crowd.

 

[BEEG]

Yeah, it will all come down to where you are staying as to which route is best. Unless you are staying west of midtown down, you will travel more miles in Manhattan than you will in New Jersey.

There is a heap of public transport info there but I know it is confusing. The good thing if you are going there for a game is that there will be no end of people to follow from any given subway station.

http://www.newyorkjets.com/footer/transportation-faq.html



Sounds confusing but not if you are following the crowd.

Thats great mate thanks

 

[Leslie_Chow]

Thats great mate thanks

I went to the Jets vs Giants game at the end of December, and I took the train(s) from Penn St Station. It was an absolute nightmare, with only two trains leaving before the game to ensure you arrive on time. The trains are absolutely packed as well. I was told driving is a nightmare due to parking, and the taxi fare would probably be a tad expensive. Also make sure you don't bring a medium sized backpack either, as you have to pay to check it in outside the gates and then pick it up after the game.

It was an absolutely awesome experience though, and I was lucky enough to see Giants start their run to the Superbowl Also try to go to a Knicks game, MSG is simply awesome.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Same

However im going for 6 weeks and i've got roughly 8 grand saved up so far, everything mostly is paid for (hotels all done, lots of the hostels have the 10% deposit done, car hire done)

seems like march is a popular month

I'm going for 4 months though, should have a touch over 12k once the remaining hotels are paid for

money is interesting for the US, had a friend who had a great time on just over $25 a day, whilst another said they didn't have enough with 2k over a month


going to be one epic trip, June-CMA fest, gold circle 4-day pass, woo!

 

[Pres]

Pretty impressed with the person who reckons they have $8k to splurge over 21 days with everything already paid for. Around $400/day spending money. What recession?

I'm heading over in 8 weeks time for the US Masters golf tournament. Flying into Dallas and driving across the deep South to Augusta. A bit off the beaten track but it's good to be going somewhere other than the standard San Fran-Vegas-New York route that 99% of Aussies seem to take.

I'm there for 2 weeks and looking to spend no more than $10k on everything (flights included). Will not be a snack when you consider I'll be blowing $3k on Masters tickets alone.

 

[doppleganger]

Visit Austin, a smaller city but brilliant.
Visit Chicago, for the life of me I dont understand why more people dont go?

In terms of budget basically cut 50% from what your normal daily expenditure would be in Aus if you were in holiday mode. Some people can live cheap, but others like to live it up....this is a fair guess at your expenditure.

Be prepared to eat sh1t food.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

In terms of budget basically cut 50% from what your normal daily expenditure would be in Aus if you were in holiday mode. Some people can live cheap, but others like to live it up....this is a fair guess at your expenditure.

Be prepared to eat sh1t food.

This. Cheaper but the food is mostly ordinary. I guess if you go looking, you can find restaurants that are half decent but you would find better quality in a $20 pub meal over here than a $40 meal over there. That was just my experience.

Their cheese is awful, please do not fall victim to the dreaded cheese fries because it sounds cool. They just melt awful American cheese over the top. I did not find any bacon that tasted like bacon, even the half decent restaurant at our villa complex right next to Disneyland had crap bacon and it was Canadian, which is supposed to be brilliant.

Mind you, if you don't mind takeaway, you are going to have plenty of options for hardly any money. Just be prepared to put on some weight, even if walking everywhere.

I also found it hard to find chicken in Manhattan at a decent price. Thought it must have been a chicken shortage or something.

 

[mike_]

This. Cheaper but the food is mostly ordinary. I guess if you go looking, you can find restaurants that are half decent but you would find better quality in a $20 pub meal over here than a $40 meal over there. That was just my experience.

Their cheese is awful, please do not fall victim to the dreaded cheese fries because it sounds cool. They just melt awful American cheese over the top. I did not find any bacon that tasted like bacon, even the half decent restaurant at our villa complex right next to Disneyland had crap bacon and it was Canadian, which is supposed to be brilliant.

Mind you, if you don't mind takeaway, you are going to have plenty of options for hardly any money. Just be prepared to put on some weight, even if walking everywhere.

I also found it hard to find chicken in Manhattan at a decent price. Thought it must have been a chicken shortage or something.

Not sure if srs.

Cheesecake factory blew my mind, nothing in Australia can match the quality/quantity combination that they offer. I could eat there every day of the year and never get tired of the place.

Sure there's an over abundance of crappy places, however it just means you have to do a bit of research to sift through the fatty s**t before you can eat the food.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Visit Chicago, for the life of me I dont understand why more people dont go?

Does not market itself to the world like New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles/Southern California does, which seem to be the 3 main destinations in these USA threads. To me, Chicago is a true/real/universal American city while the other 3 seem to have other things going on that upsets that balance a bit...

New York looks itself more to be an international player, Vegas has the gambling/sin city tag, L.A./Southern California has the theme parks/Hollywood. Not putting those cities down or anything, its just they don't represent the US as a whole as much as cities like Chicago or San Francisco would.

I like living in Chicago, has a very Melbourne feel to it. All that's missing is the footy!

 

[Iason]

Visit Austin, a smaller city but brilliant.

This. A thousand times this. You walk around the UT campus and wonder why the hell you went to Uni wherever you did. Such a cool city.

I went to the Jets vs Giants game at the end of December, and I took the train(s) from Penn St Station. It was an absolute nightmare, with only two trains leaving before the game to ensure you arrive on time. The trains are absolutely packed as well. I was told driving is a nightmare due to parking, and the taxi fare would probably be a tad expensive. Also make sure you don't bring a medium sized backpack either, as you have to pay to check it in outside the gates and then pick it up after the game.

It was an absolutely awesome experience though, and I was lucky enough to see Giants start their run to the Superbowl Also try to go to a Knicks game, MSG is simply awesome.

It's a lot easier to take the PATH train from 33rd and 6th to Hoboken, and then catch the train to the Meadowlands from Hoboken Terminal. Still fills up for game day, but a lot less crowded.

Not sure if srs.

Cheesecake factory blew my mind, nothing in Australia can match the quality/quantity combination that they offer. I could eat there every day of the year and never get tired of the place.

Sure there's an over abundance of crappy places, however it just means you have to do a bit of research to sift through the fatty s**t before you can eat the food.

That is the first time I've ever seen Cheesecake Factory and quality in the same sentence. It's a cheap chain with huge unsatisfying portions, nothing more.

I also found it hard to find chicken in Manhattan at a decent price. Thought it must have been a chicken shortage or something.

Where were you looking? First time I've ever heard this.

 

[Copernicus]

Anyone looking to travel to Atlanta or anywhere in Georgia, feel free to PM/ask me questions.

I may be of some service regarding the rest of the South but can't guarantee anything

 

[2009premiers]

Been to Vegas twice with the boys and Hawaii now looking to do a trip for about a month with the mrs

Places we have come up with is

NewYork
LA
Vegas
San Fran
New Orleans
Miami

Need to break it down to about to about 4-5 places

Only want to spend about 4 days each in LA and Vegas and week in New York

Those cities are a fair distance apart, especially the west to NO, NY and Miami, so if you fly between them there is a lot of airport time.

In 30 days with those cities I would:
Fly to NY for 7-8 days.
Fly to Miami for 4 days
Fly to NO for 3 days.
Fly to LA. Hire a car and spend 15 days on the west and dive a loop between LA, Mojave, Vegas, Death Valley, Yosemite, San Fran, Pacific Highway. A road trip in the south west is awesome.



However, I wouldnt advise trekking to three different corners of the country in 30 days. I would pick two and focus on it.

Maybe get rid of NO and Miami (on this trip) and replace them with Washington, Philly and maybe Boston and concentrate on the north east.

I have had a 3 day stop in Memphis and didnt really feel as though I could engage with the south in that time. My next trip to the US will definitely include a road trip around the south and include all of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina.

 

[WALL-e]

LA
Vegas
San Fran
Austin
New Orleans
Miami
New York

Here I come.

I'm pretty set with idea, but what things in these places do I HAVE to do?

 

[Donstuie]

I'm pretty set with idea, but what things in these places do I HAVE to do?

As far as my own trip is concerned, this is what I've put down as must-sees/dos

LA: Disneyland, Universal Studios, Santa Monica/Venice Beach
Vegas: Grand Canyon
San Fran: SF Bay cruise, Alcatraz, Yosemite (day-trip)
New York: Top of the Rock, 9/11 memorial, Empire State, Hudson tour, Staten Island Ferry, Yankee Stadium, Seinfeld Tour, "The Book of Mormon" on Broadway, Strawberry Fields

Pretty standard, predictable list really.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

(Where were you looking? First time I've ever heard this.

Mostly from 32nd Street and the 25 blocks up through midtown and towards Central Park I guess.

I should qualify that statement. It isn't like chicken wasn't on menus but the options were minimal and it was ridiculously overpriced. My Dad eats chicken 90% of the time and he would pay $8-$10 for half a dozen wings, while we had our massive $2 slices of pizza. I had read that chicken wings were dirt cheap in bars, so I assumed it would be the same all over, and much like the price of other food.

I remember half joking at the time that they must have run out of chickens for prices to go sky high. I don't know the truth of the matter.

On our second last night though, we found a little meat joint (actually there were two, one just off Times Square and one a little further down near Madison Square Garden. You could do combo deals and get steak, chop and chicken (Maryland piece), all in BBQ sauce for something ridiculous like $10 with a side.

It was usually just the fast food places that had limited options and weird pricing.

When I talk about not finding decent food, I can only talk about my experience. I mean, how do you know until you eat it right? When I compare fast food, I compare it to Australian fast food, not restaurant quality food, and while the US has a broad variety, the quality of certain fast food staples is inferior (in my experience).

We had people telling us that California Pizza Kitchen at Hollywood Highland was awesome, but while it was okay and they had some interesting combinations (Pear and Gorgonzola was interesting), the quality did not match the price.

We went to a diner near MSQ, service was ordinary at best and the food while decently priced was terrible.

The Las Vegas buffets we had were fantastic for the price. No complaining there at all.

On the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, I only ate once, but it was great food, great environment and very friendly service. That was 'My Cousin Vinny's'.

What else did I like .... Red Lobster at Times Square was nice, but Australian prices really, especially when they add in the tip and you tip them again because you didn't know. Great all you can eat shrimp deal with it cooked all different ways.

Had a Grays Papaya hotdog because you just have to when you go there. Cheap as chips and very nice.

Had a hotdog at Disneyland. Heaps more flavour than over here but smaller. I always thought everything was oversized over there, especially hot dogs.

Had a pizza slice a couple of times. Thought it was nice with the parmesan and garlic powder you get to put on it, but Jon Stewart tells me I was eating at non-genuine pizza franchises. Will have to make more of an effort next time.

Had Denny's in Las Vegas at 1am after checking in at midnight. Huge menu, weird combinations. That was okay. Had Denny's in Hawaii, more expensive, ordinary. Had Denny's in Anaheim (no wonder we put on weight) prior to going into Disneyland as we were on foot and nothing else was open on our way there. That was s**t.

Had a free breakfast in Holiday Inn Walk of Fame Hollywood, pretty good since it cost nothing. Had a free continental breakfast at Stanford Hotel NYC, in the cafe downstairs. Vile, disgusting crud, even for free. They have no right to use it to entice guests IMO. Tried to force down a two day old bagel and some woeful coffee but gave up and we ate elsewhere after that.

Ate dinner at Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. Nice food, more like Australian prices but considering where we were, Australian theme park businesses would have double their price so we did well. Fantastic bar, very busy but they do this thunderstorm thing over the PA with thunder claps and simulated lighting and you have fake trees hanging down so it is a cool place. Liked it so much I bought a t-shirt there.

Also spent a lot of time eating in airports due to the weird times we were travelling sometimes. Had an awesome clam chowder in San Francisco airport. No other positive experiences though. My dad had the buffalo wings in Memphis airport, and they were so hot (spicy) he thought he was dying. That was amusing.

So we did have some decent experiences I guess but I sort of built it up in my head as something it was not prior to going.

I just remember cheese, bacon and most of the coffee we had as being terrible and that sways my recollection somewhat.

 

[Childish Gambino]

If any of you guys get the chance to go to Memphis make sure you eat at Dyers on Beale.

http://www.dyersonbeale.com/

Deep fried burgers in 90 year old oil. Probably lost a few years of my life eating the triple triple but it was totally worth it.