Travel USA travel tips and tricks

[Goodo73]

Some advice needed - I am going over to the US in a few weeks. I will be catching up with Australian friends over there. They are also just on a global roaming so they are keeping thier number.

How do I call or SMS them? If I use the current number, it won't work. Do I need to put extra numbers or symbols before the number to reach them? Seems like a silly question but I can't get a simple answer.

Pretty sure you just drop the leading 0 and replace it with +61

 

[MrKK]

^^ is correct.
You can do it now and the numbers will still work here and when you're overseas. I got into the habit of storing all my contacts with the country code included after I and friends started travelling/living overseas.

 

[TimN]

Anyone been to ABQ? I'm looking for a place to stop between California and Texas, but don't want to get chopped up into little pieces by Mexican gang bangers.

I stopped in Albuquerque for a couple of nights, and I enjoyed it. I wasn't out late into the night, but didn't have any problems after dark. If you're worried, you might try Santa Fe. It seems to have a better reputation than ABQ. The catch will be that you probably have a 1 hour deviation off the I40 to get there.

As an alternate stopping point along the way, I really like Flagstaff AZ. It's a much smaller town than ABQ, or even Santa Fe, but it has a nice vibe to it, I think.

But yeah, if you think you're going to feel nervous every time you see a brown face, I'd give the whole stretch from LA to Texas a big miss. There's plenty of people there with Mexican ancestry, or Native American ancestry, or both, or just dark hair and a good tan, and only a tiny tiny proportion of them have anything to do with a gang.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Anyone done Disney and universal in Florida?

On average, how many day would we need to see the entire lot?

We are in Florida for 2 weeks and have budgeted for 8 days to see the worlds. Would that be too much or not enough or just right?

 

[Drumroe]

Anyone done Disney and universal in Florida?

On average, how many day would we need to see the entire lot?

We are in Florida for 2 weeks and have budgeted for 8 days to see the worlds. Would that be too much or not enough or just right?

I did both in December last year, Did both worlds of universal in 1 day, and that was easy. We had the early entry at 8am and did most major rides and were done by about 3. We also used the express passes.

We spent 4 nights at disneyworld and did 1 world per day. Could it in 2 or 3 days I reckon. That's not including the 2 water parks because it was a bit cold when we went.

I thought universal was better than Disney, depends if you're going with kids or not i guess (i wasnt).

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

I did both in December last year, Did both worlds of universal in 1 day, and that was easy. We had the early entry at 8am and did most major rides and were done by about 3. We also used the express passes.

We spent 4 nights at disneyworld and did 1 world per day. Could it in 2 or 3 days I reckon. That's not including the 2 water parks because it was a bit cold when we went.

I thought universal was better than Disney, depends if you're going with kids or not i guess (i wasnt).

No kids - so that tine frame sounds about right.

Thanks.

 

[NitroFan]

go to busch gardens.

 

[Johnny92]

Going next April. Been struggling to find a hotel in LA. What is a good area?

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

go to busch gardens.

Yeah, went their back in the day as a teenager but not going with thrill ride fans thus time.

Wrong demographic but know its awesome.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Going next April. Been struggling to find a hotel in LA. What is a good area?

Depending on what you want to do?

If you're looking at Disneyland - stay in Anaheim as it's very close and you can get a good quality hotel at a very good price. But if you're looking at Hollywood, stay in Hollywood but it's much more expensive than Anaheim but the quality is about the same.

I usually stay in Anaheim and take it from there in day tours.

 

[crownie]

Depending on what you want to do?

If you're looking at Disneyland - stay in Anaheim as it's very close and you can get a good quality hotel at a very good price. But if you're looking at Hollywood, stay in Hollywood but it's much more expensive than Anaheim but the quality is about the same.

I usually stay in Anaheim and take it from there in day tours.

I agree fully with this post.

Stayed in Hollywood/Vine twice and the area has really cleaned itself up in the space of 4 years.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

I agree fully with this post.

Stayed in Hollywood/Vine twice and the area has really cleaned itself up in the space of 4 years.

Yep, but you pay about 35% more for the same room in Hollywood as you would in most other places.

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

Heading to U.S.A and Canada for about 9 weeks, in just 19 days. Going over by myself but know a few people from uni throughout the country so through a combination of hostels and friends, I am doing it on a budget. Much of it is tailored around seeing friends, so don't get mad because I am spending three weeks in Minnesota/Wisconsin

4 nights in LA (Universial Studios, Venice Beach, CityPass, keeping busy around Hollywood)
3 nights in Orange County (visiting friends)
3 nights in San Diego (with a friend, though will most likely look at Military history ect.)
3 nights in New Orleans (seeing a Pelicans vs Lakers game + see a heap of local music and get a feel for "the South")
3 nights in Atlanta (staying with a friend-- Coca Cola, Turner Field, Centennial Park, Aquarium, CNN Tour, possibly Phillips Arena)
5 nights in Washington DC (this could change if the Government Shut-Down doesn't end before I get there)
7 nights in New York City (staying with a friend on Long Island, see multiple Broadway shows, an Islanders game, Time Square, go to Letterman, Today Show, Barclays Centre and whatever else pops up)
3 nights in Toronto (Pretty free at this point, but may consider the EdgeWalk around CN Tower or a cheap hostel deal to Niagra Falls).
7/8 nights in Montreal (Again, pretty free at this point- may make a trip out to Quebec at some point.)
2/3 nights in Chicago (Free, will do more research into here in the coming days).
2 nights in Madison (with friends- got a $1.00 fair from Chicago!)
6 nights in Eau Claire (with friends at their university- many, many friends there to see).
10 nights in Minneapolis (Spending Christmas with friends and will likely see a couple of MN Wild games and the last ever Vikings game at the dome)
A half-day in LAX before I fly back to Australia on New Years Eve.

Most of it has been planned in the past week- so is open to a lot of change. Interestingly, I am only taking 3 flights throughout the entire trip- from San Diego to New Orleans, Burlington to Chicago (bus from Montreal across the border) and final flight from Minneapolis back to LAX. A lot of hours spent on a bus or train, but much of it is overnight- so with any luck, I won't miss out on many places and also save $$$$ on accommodation. So excited.

 

[Fire Storm]

Anyone suggest a nice hotel close to LAX? Only want one night but don't want one of those dodgy ones you see in the movies.

 

[Drumroe]

Anyone suggest a nice hotel close to LAX? Only want one night but don't want one of those dodgy ones you see in the movies.

Depending on your budget I stayed at the Sheraton which was nice.

Has a free shuttle which picks you up/drops you off at the airport too

 

[crownie]

2/3 nights in Chicago (Free, will do more research into here in the coming days).
2 nights in Madison (with friends- got a $1.00 fair from Chicago!)

id recommend 3 nights for Chicago.

megabus?

 

[2009premiers]

Anyone suggest a nice hotel close to LAX? Only want one night but don't want one of those dodgy ones you see in the movies.

i used hotwire and got the lax hilton for around $100. was fine - and only a short trip by bus to manhattan beach, venice and santa monica if you dont have a car

 

[Buzzasto DaSilva]

id recommend 3 nights for Chicago.

megabus?

High possibility of it being three nights and one less in Montreal. Will depend on whether I can get a Sunday bus to Burlington.

And yeah, megabus.

 

[Fire Storm]

Hey thanks guys. Appreciate it.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Those who have been to New York before, how much would you predict a taxi fair from JFK to Manhattan would cost?

 

[BERT]

Those who have been to New York before, how much would you predict a taxi fair from JFK to Manhattan would cost?

It's a fixed fare. $45 I think.

 

[crownie]

It's a fixed fare. $45 I think.

would be around that, 4 years ago i paid $50

 

[Drumroe]

Yep, fixed fare of somewhere around 50

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Cool, that's ok.

That's very reasonable in fact as I pay $62.50 (or thereabouts) from my place to the Adelaide airport.

 

[Drumroe]

Yeah we caught a taxi from the airport to Manhattan, but to get back to the airport we just caught the subway as its quite cheap and easy