So we're thinking of visiting the US...

In My Humble Opinion
1

… where should Mrs. Cat and I go and what should we do?

So far, we’re thinking of visiting San Francisco, LA and Las Vegas.

Generally, the plan is to rent a car and drive around. Thinking of visiting the Grand Canyon, and ending up in Vegas to catch the Evo tournament 2012. That’s in July 2012, so we’ve got some time to plan yet. We’ll do New York and the East coast some other time!

I usually drive on the left, but I think adjusting shouldn’t be a problem.

Other than that, I have no idea what to do. Generally, we’re not museum types, we like to eat, we were thinking of checking out Hollywood, Universal Studios, I heard you get to shake hands with a muppet somewhere. :wink:

By food, we mean like diners, driveins and dives, that kind of food. Not too keen on high cuisine, we want to try Real American Food, although we might have to share an entree between us… and have leftovers for dinner.
Any thoughts, ideas, comments welcome!

2

I hope you’re prepared for a lot of time behind the wheel. I estimate at least 1,750 miles on the road to hit the destinations you list.

Otherwise, go for it! Those are all great destinations I’ve enjoyed spending time at.

3

When you say “rent a car and drive around,” don’t underestimate the distances involved and the time needed to drive them. If you’re interested in things like the Grand Canyon, you’d love some of the nearby National Parks, like Arches and Bryce.

4

I once drove from SF to Las Vegas, via Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. Stayed over at the Little A’Le’Inn (yes really) in Rachel, Nevada. Freakiest place I’ve ever been. Then took a side-trip to the north rim of the Grand Canyon and stayed in Fredonia. Amazing three-day drive, mostly through featureless desert. Highly recommended. Really gives you a feeling of the vastness of the US.

5

Google says about 7 hours from SF to LA, and about 5 hours from LA to Vegas. Is that about right? I think I could do that - we did the Great Ocean Route about 7 hours out from Melbourne, and that wasn’t too bad. If it’s a crap drive we’ll take a bus or train though.
Um. Is it advisable to take a bus or train?
I have to admit I’m a tad bit worried about crime in general as well, which is why I was thinking of driving around the cities instead of taking public transport, which I understand is rather adequate in SF.

6

As an American, my knee-jerk reaction is that while the drives are awfully long and through an awful lot of monotonous desert, any train or bus trip between the same would be much longer and more tedious… if such a thing is even available. I’d only contemplate this trip by flying between the cities, but then I’m the kind of traveler who wants to get to my destination with as little fuss as possible and stay there.

It’s possible that someone who is actually familiar with this area will come in and say that there is a great train for you to take. I just automatically assume that trains are only usable on the east coast.

Again as an American, I wouldn’t worry about crime. The beautiful thing about public transportation is that there are lots of other people witnessing what happens to you. I’d say that a rental car is a little more dangerous because the car is valuable. Also, you wouldn’t have to drive around in all those big cities if you took public transport.

7

If I were making this trip I’d fly into San Francisco (you don’t want a car around that city), fly down to LA then drive to Vegas.

8

I’d rather have a car in San Francisco than in LA to be honest. It’s not THAT bad, at least not worse than LA but you have to be ready to pay out the butt for parking, which is about the norm for most big cities. But really, to fly to SF, drive to LA and then Vegas? If you have a long vacation sure, go for it. Though, in my opinion, the drive down to LA and over to Vegas are kinda boring. I’ve always hate I-5 though so I’m a bit biased lol.

9

Crime in America is seriously overestimated. I lived for 5 years in Detroit, which is notorious for its crime statistics. I worked in a downtown hospital, and many of my clients were crime victims (people who ended up with spinal cord injuries as a result of being shot or otherwise assaulted). Here’s the kicker, though–in hundreds of “victims” only one was innocent. The rest were drug dealers or other ne’er do wells. The majority of crime is criminal on criminal. You’ll be fine. Short version: Don’t believe the movies you see.

10

Got curious about crime stats and found this site. Fascinating.

www.nationmaster.com

Turns out Australia has twice as many assaults as the US, but we smoke 'em on murder with guns.

11

Crime in the US is seriously overestimated. As long as you’re in a decent neighborhood or in broad daylight, you’re pretty safe, and that goes doubly if you’re not walking alone. I have never been robbed, mugged, assaulted, or anything of the sort. Petty crimes like pickpocketing is more common in Europe, though not unknown. I gather you’re Aussies? Since you speak English, you won’t need to worry about getting scammed or hustled the way you might in a third world country. American sentiment toward Australians is pretty positive, so I expect you’ll get good reactions just toward your accents.

You can certainly use public transport to go pretty much anywhere you want in SF. In LA, a car is more necessary. I have no idea about Vegas. Trains are perfectly safe and reasonably comfortable, though much slower than their European counterparts. Buses are quite slow and pretty safe; the only thing I’d advise is to keep nothing of particular value in your bag or purse if it’s under your seat. I drove from L.A. to SF in under 6 hours this weekend, so your estimates seem a smidge high to me.

The Canyon is one of the must-see things around here; other countries have equally impressive deserts, mountains, and the like, but no other place on Earth is quite like the Grand Canyon. Personally, I’d have advised you to avoid Vegas, but it is quite unique, if nothing else.

How much time do you have?

12

Do yourself a favor, and don’t drive to Las Vegas. Its a short, relatively cheap flight from L.A. As someone else mentioned, its a long, boring drive and you don’t want to be driving through the desert in July.

13

Around Vegas itself you don’t need a car. I used to live there and at times, if I were going to the Strip, I’d just take a taxi and hang out down there.

14

Mmm, but if you have time, the coastal routes can be beautiful.

Basically there are 3 major N-S routes up the state of California.

The fastest and most visually boring is the 5 - about 6 hours driving, plus whatever stops you make to eat and pee. It’s entirely inland, and the view is pretty much only the road plus farms and rest stops. That’s the route that most Californians will take to get up and down the state, because it’s the fastest.

Next is the 101. It runs just a few miles inland for most of the route, and passes through some interesting, scenic small and large towns. However, because it runs through towns and because it’s a less direct route, it’s a longer drive - Google Maps puts it at almost 8 hours, again not including food and rest stops.

Finally there’s the 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). This drive will have you right up against the ocean pretty much the whole drive. It is absolutely beautiful; but again, it’s an even less direct route than the 101, and takes longer. Allow 9-10 hours, because you will absolutely want to stop at some point and put your feet in the sand, and eat at one of the interesting beachside restaurants, and just stop and admire the view. If you’re going this route, you might want to allow two days, so that you can allow yourself to enjoy the beauty.

15

You don’t need a car in Vegas, that’s true. But the drive to Red Rock (a short drive) and Death Valley (a day trip) is beautiful and well worth doing.

16

I see several Americans saying this. As an outsider, I respectfully disagree. As a foreigner, driving through the desert is part of the whole experience. Seeing no other vehicle for hours, in places where there isn’t even any AM radio reception is mindblowing. In my opinion experiencing the vast emptiness of the desert is one of the most amazing things about that area. Especially if you’re from Singapore!

17

Hmm. Lots of interesting (and valid) opinions here. I will chime in with the “You don’t WANT a car in San Francisco” vote. The traffic is confusing and parking is near non-existent (don’t get me started on the perilous hills.) Even if you don’t find a direct public transit route to wherever you want to go, you won’t have to walk too far. Keep in mind for a major metropolitan city SF is pretty damn small. You can walk from the bay on one end of the city to the ocean on the other side in maybe a few hours. (There’s an annual race called “Bay to Breakers” and the winners usually run it in around 45 minutes.) A must-do if you’re a garlic lover is to eat at The Stinking Rose on Columbus Street (conveniently right where Chinatown dumps out, so you can hit them both on the same day if so inclined.)

I will disagree on not needing a car in Las Vegas DEPENDING on how long you’re going to stay. If you’re only going to be there a couple days, then yes wandering up and down the strip on foot, or taking a cab downtown to Fremont street and back will be fine. If you plan to stay a week or more, you’ll get stir crazy with the strip and want to do something, ANYTHING else. My husband and I have a timeshare there and usually drive from SF to LV (about 9 1/2 hours with a stop for lunch.) because it was worth it to us to have a car while there. We would take a day to drive around the Red Rock canyon, and once when it was unbearably hot, we took a drive up to Mt. Rose (where it was a good 15 degrees cooler) and took a little hike. Every so often we’d take a trip up to Hoover Dam (an hour? Hour and a half away?) Plus it gives you the flexibility to search out, say, a TGI Friday’s off the strip or something when you get tired of either $1.99 prime rib, or a $15 bowl of soup. Or if your sneaker blows out, you can jet to Target (A couple blocks off the strip on Flamingo - no - Tropicana?) and pick up a new pair. There are lots of little quirky local casinos on the outskirts of town we always like to check out too. Things like the Liberace museum (worth seeing!) are well off the strip. The Tropicana, while one of the dingier strip casinos, usually has some interesting exhibits. For a while they had one of “old” Las Vegas casinos, stars, artifacts of defunct/demolished classic casinos, etc. Last time we were there they had an interesting Elvis exhibit that featured surreal things like one of his beds, assorted firearms, stage costumes, his doctor’s medicine bag (!!!) all kinds of ephemera. Someplace (I want to say Tropicana again - but this exhibit seemed much larger than they’d have space for) had a FASCINATING Titanic exhibit that had recovered china, boarding passes, uniforms etc etc and an actual hunk of the ship itself. I was blown away.

Be sure when you get there to pick up a few of the local rags (one of the best is called “What’s On” - at the front desk of most major casinos) which are usually full of coupons, but also tell you what acts are playing when and where.

If you’re a Beatles fan I cannot recommend the Cirque du Soleil show “Love” enthusiastically enough. If you’ve never seen a “Cirque” show but don’t like the Beatles I still consider them a must-see. I’ve also seen “Mystere” and “O” and they’re both gorgeous. (I’ve heard mixed [leaning to poor] reviews of “Zoomanity” [a “sexy” Cirque show] and the Elvis themed show. There is a new Michael Jackson show out now or soon but I’m not sure where it’s opening.)

Barry Manilow played the Hilton for many a year but a quick search turns him up at Paris if that’s something you might enjoy. Both Elton John and Celine Dion pop in and out of Caesar’s Palace, or used to. Like I said, check out the touristy magazines to see what’s going on.

And I know I’m going to get slammed for this, but Carrot Top (Luxor) is actually worth seeing. There is a HUGE ocean between his commercial/movie work and his comic work. My husband and I have seen him…5 times? and nearly died with laughter every time. Louis Anderson is also a good bet. (He was at the Excalibur the last time we were there, but not sure how long his engagement was.) You can probably YouTube both of them to see if they’re something you’d be interested in.

As for LA, I’ve only been there once for a couple days to see a taping of the Price is Right at CBS and we stayed right across the street from the studios in an adorable…technically “motel” but if a motel can be “upscale” then it was to the extent it was possible. You don’t mention where you’re from so I don’t know if you’re familiar with US shows or not (I reckon most people are now with satellite) but in addition to Price is Right I believe the Craig Ferguson show also tapes there (and a couple soap operas I’m not familiar with.) I’ve only been to the Universal Studios in Florida but it was HEAPS of fun.

18

A lot depends on how much time you have and how much you enjoy driving.

If it were me, I’d fly into San Francisco and use public transportation in the city (theirs is actually pretty decent for the US). Plus, my memories of the one time I was in SF was the sheer terror of going up and down unbelievably steep hills while my dad drove. SF is notorious for its hills. Pretty, but notorious.

Then, again, if you have the time and inclination, drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to Los Angeles. It’s a loooooooong drive. Figure all day.

Get reservations, even if it’s by calling in a few hours ahead of time while you’re on the road. I found out on one road trip that a single professional sports game can mean the entire town is booked solid. LA’s a little big for such a problem, but there might be a combination of games, conventions, political protests, and earthquakes (I kid!).

While in LA, keep the car. LA has crappy public transport, and the city is huge. It’s actually about a dozen cities all squashed together, and LA proper is only one of them. Hollywood is great for trashy site seeing. Don’t miss the La Brea tarpits, the Queen Mary, or Rodeo Drive.

Then, if you’re tight on time, fly out to Las Vegas. Everything you’ll want to do - casinos, shows, shopping - is in a relatively small area, and what isn’t easily walkable, your hotel will probably have a shuttle to. Car rental is also very easy.

Violence is much less of a problem than you might think. Don’t go off alone. If you get to a place that looks spooky or bad, leave.

Depending on the time of year you visit . . . um, actually, no matter what time of year you visit, pack layers of clothes. We Americans are notorious for refrigerating our buildings during the summer and turning them into convection ovens during winter. LA and Las Vegas during the summer are hot beyond what any sane Briton should be able to imagine. Temps easily in the upper 30s and lower 40s (Celsius). You’ll start to cope, and then you’ll walk into a store or hotel where it’s in the 20s. So, wear normal summer clothes and bring sweaters. Since Las Vegas is in the desert, it will get chilly at night. That’s American chilly. I have no idea what that will mean to you.

Some of the things you’ll notice:

  • tax is not included in the sales price. Yes, this is stupid.
  • tipping is expected. This is also stupid.
  • Americans tend to be very friendly, very talkative, and very open. Appallingly so, I understand.
  • everyone will love your accent.
19

I’ve driven thousands of miles on US Road Trips every year since 2004 and stayed in some undesirable areas in even less desirable Motels and never had a bad experience, either I’ve been lucky or the US has MUCH less crime than we Europeans are led to believe.

Within an hour of driving on the Right you’re in the zone and everything seems second nature. Freeway driving is easy and the road signage is good although watchout for " Exit Only " lanes or you’ll be leaving the Freeway when you least expect it

The Coast Highway from LA to San Francisco is great and make sure you take time to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Vegas is OK if you like that sort of tawdry excess, I’d rather spend a day at the Hoover Dam.

20

We were figuring about 2 weeks or so, so maybe 10 days? And yes, we’re from Singapore. :slight_smile:

So far, driving down the coastal route to LA and keeping the car there sounds like a good idea, and maybe drive to Vegas. But, if there aren’t any cars around and I assume no cell reception, errrr… What happens if the car breaks down in the desert? :eek:

Any reccomendations on what to do in the cities themselves? Or even along the way?
Thanks for your help, all!