So I just recently returned from a four week trip with my best mate. Was my second time in the US. Previously had been to LA, North/South Carolina and Virginia.
This time I visited LA, San Francisco, Philly, Boston, NY, Orlando and Vegas. Was a bit of a drinking/sports trip so in some situations their different drinking/going out culture was a bit of a downer. But still had a graet time.
Started in LA and stupidly my mate convinced me to finish in LA so we could watch LeBron (who didn't end up playing) so we were basically in LA for far too long. The first time we stayed close to Hollywood Boulevard. It was better than I remembered it. Last time I visited for a few hours and it felt sketchy as and fairly empty. This time it was buzzing. Still a shady place. The Hollywood sign was definitely worth doing and Staples Centre was a decent enough place to watch NBA. The nightlife there was disappointing and was completely dumbfounded to find out they stop serving booze after 2am. Not ideal for two young blokes looking to have some fun. Stayed in Venice Beach the second time and found that much nicer. Much better vibe, cooler bars and didn't feel as unsafe. Would definitely be a place I'd visit in summer. I'd probably skip LA next time though. If I was to visit California I'd probably visit some national parks instead.
San Francisco was awesome. Loved the vibe of the city. Alcatraz was one of my favourite parts of the whole trip. Went at night which added to the experience. Wish I could have been in San Francisco over a weekend to see a bit more of the party side.
Philly was good too. Had a few reservations as our Uber pulled up towards our AirBNB, but quickly realised the whole city looks old and dingy. Really cool how they've kept it that way.
Boston was awesome. As a big Boston sport fan I had a great time. TD Garden was a great place to watch the NBA. Caught an awesome Christmas day game between the Celtics and Sixers which went to OT. The place was nuts and the bars nearby were jumping afterward. Being there over Christmas it was frustrating that there were no bars/clubs open on Christmas Eve as we wanted to drink and socialise with the locals. We managed to visit a Celtics bar on Christmas day which was cool enough though. Toured Fenway which was awesome and definitely has me wanting to go back when it's warm to catch a game. The Freedom Trail was also a great way to get around and see the city. We stayed in the historic North End which was full of cool little Italian restaurants, a few seafood places and some bars/taverns which had a good vibe. I could definitely live in Boston.
NY was great too. At first the sheer size and amount of people had me feeling a bit uneasy, but after a few days I got used to it and enjoyed it a lot. Was lucky enough to have Melbourne like winter weather. The only downer was two days of nonstop rain. If I was to return to NY I'd want to spend much longer there. Problem is accommodation costs an arm and leg. The 9/11 Musuem was one of the highlights of my trip. Very well done and very moving, particularly the room they have dedicated to all the victims which has walls filled with their photos. I spent hours in there and still felt like I was rushing through.
Didn't see a lot of Orlando. Just went there for Universal. It was good but to our surprise it was absolutely packed which didn't make a heap of sense in my opinion for early January. It was struggle to fit in everything with the absurd lines. If you want to get through things quicker, the single rider lines are a god send.
Vegas I don't know how to rate. Everything is big, there is a lot going on and it would be a great place for a boys weekend. We stayed at the MGM Grand. The Casino didn't feel a heap different from Crown. The nightclub we went to was cool and more like a upmarket Melbourne one, but also expensive. Also a lot of young w***ers there pretending to be rich sitting in booths.
I had an awful experience going to the Grand Canyon. We took a tour to the one about 7 hours away. The company was disorganised and didn't stick to schedules which left us only getting to see the Canyon for about 1 hour and 20 minutes with the last 20 minutes being at the main part everyone wants to see. But for us it was getting dark and a snowstorm was on the way. Then spent a long 7 hours back on a bus with a toilet that stunk of piss wafting through the bus. The bus driver also couldn't keep the bus straight, blaming wet weather and some wind. Thought I was going to die at one stage. The bloke then had the audacity to ask for a tip after we spent 14 hours on a bus for 1 hour 20 mins of the Canyon. Walked off with the ******* yelling at us for not tipping.
Would love to visit the US again. It's an interesting country. I feel like the people are nice depending on where you are. In LA and San Fran they were fairly nice. Boston likewise. NY they don't really give a s**t which I found great because it does get tiring when people are constantly making a deal about you being a tourist. You can just blend in there and get on with things. Tipping gives me the shits. Genuinely ridiculous some of the times you're expected to tip. I grab a water bottle out of a fridge at a gift shop and the bloke asks for a tip.
If I was to go again I'll be waiting until the AUD picks up. Ended up being an expensive holiday because of the dollar. If you were to go when it's much better it would be a pretty cheap holiday. Plan next time will be to visit Texas, New Orleans, Washington DC and then maybe Hawaii I guess.
How much coin you spend for the 4 weeks? Use a 28 degrees credit card or whatever or nah?