I am planning a trip to the USA for me and a friend (males in early 20’s) and we plan on staying there for about 3 months.
But we arent really sure where we wanna go.
Places like New York City, Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles & Washington D.C come to mind and we figure if we wanna to to all these places we will pretty much be crossing the country, so why not stop off at places inbetween?
So where would you recommend two males in their early twenties drop by when visiting the USA?
We (the wife and I) did that about this time last year - we mostly went where we had friends or family that we wanted to visit (and bum free accomodation off :)), so not all of them were worth visiting per se, and we would have added Washington DC and New York if we could have, but all in all it was a fan-bloody-tastic time!!
Our website of the trip - or rather, the wife’s website, since she had the time…
Grim
that was really informative 
It looks like you had a great time…
by the way, i didnt read it all, just glanced over the locations that interested me.
Well what do you guys like to do? Three months huh? Thats quite a trip, I hope you guys saved up.
I’d check out Boston, if you are driving, why not stop at the largest single casino in the world halfway between Boston and New York. It’s called Foxwoods . Thats pretty fun even if you don’t want to Gamble.
If you guys are into scenery, the American Southwest is absolutely amazing. Check out Sedona Arizona. It’s great.
Why not go to Seattle as well, for two guys in their 20’s you ought to love it. Eclectic and fun. I’ll check back periodically when I think of another fun place…
Money isnt a problem, i just needed to get that outta the way.
We want to have fun, party, go wild.
But also would like to have unique experiences, New York City because it is so huge, Washington because of it being the nations capitol.
How are you planning on getting around? If you’re planning to rely on public transportation, you might want to look into taking a cheap flight from one coast to another – the US is a big place, and taking a bus or train across the country can be time-consuming and prohibitively expensive. (Ignore this if you’re going to have a car.) Also, be aware that public transit here probably isn’t as frequent or reliable as what you’re used to. (Where are you from, by the way?)
You’ve listed a bunch of cities, but don’t forget outdoor stuff – for instance, you should definitely look into visiting the Grand Canyon if you’re going to Las Vegas. There are tons of great national parks, but again, getting there is easier if you have a car.
What kind of budget are you thinking about? If it’s really tight, you might want to think about bringing camping equipment – unfortunately the US is not as well endowed with cheap places to stay as some other countries. On the bright side, it’s easy to eat well without spending much.
Visit Chicago and go sit in the bleachers for a Cubs game at Wrigley field. Definitely an experience, even if you don’t understand the game. You’ll spend most of your time berating the outfielders anyway.
Los Angeles and San Diego - you could spend two weeks in SoCal doing all the stuff there. Hit Joshua Tree for a day of rock scrambling, the San Diego Zoo, the Ghetty Center, beaches, etc. My favorite place in the whole country (helps that I grew up there).
A weekend in DC would probably be adequate. A week at the most in NYC. I suppose San Francisco, even though I’m not a big fan. If you are into clubs and such, hit Miami for a weekend. Boston is good. New Orleans would be fun, too.
If you are into the outdoors, the US has many wonderful National Parks. I’d recommend Yosemite and Yellowstone for starters, you could spend a week at each. Slide Rock near Sedona is really fun and not a lot of people outside of the area know about it.
If you like history, maybe take a river boat up the Mississippi (I dunno if they still do that).
The US is a big country and there are multitudes of things to do if money is no object.
You will, of course, be visiting the Grand Canyon: http://www.nps.gov/grca/
It’s one of the most amazing things you will ever see in your life and should absolutely not be missed. My advice is to forgo the more popular South Rim and spend a little extra driving time to see the North Rim.
But while you’re in the neighborhood, check out the less popular but equally impressive Zion National Park: http://www.nps.gov/zion/
And while you’re in Utah, drive a few hours north and treat yourself to Arches National Park: http://www.nps.gov/arch/ Frikkin amazing!
Definitely New Orleans. Disney World is not just a kid’s place – there’s lots of adult activities, including clubs. If you like roller coasters, try Cedar Point park in Ohio, on the shore of Lake Erie.
Florida Keys. Especially Key West.
Big cities are big cities are big cities. Other than a few regional differences, you will just repeat yourself over and over and over.
Go for the unique places. Only Philadelphia has the Liberty Bell, only Washington, DC has the Smithsonian, only Memphis has Beale Street, only New Orleans has the French Quarter, yadda, yadda.
If you’re into natural things, check out the National Park System, and other associated areas.
You can do/visit quite a bit in three months, or you can go broke in a weekend. Establish some overall plan first and then look into details. What you cannot do/visit this time you can do next time.
Of course, we all know you’re looking for girls.
Ah, hold that thought.
In this day and age maybe you’re not. No matter. I’m sure there is someplace/something/someone in America …
Since so many people have suggested the National Parks my suggestion is to get a national parks pass, it costs around $50 but it will get you into any park in the nation and if you do one or two of the bigger parks it will pay for itself since many of them are $20 alone.
Driving is the best just for looks in the southwest, Arizona and New Mexico. California’s US 395 is a nice road. Depending on time of year Maine is a nice place to see, especially if you don’t like people. West virginia can be nice as well. For some bizare places try looking around www.roadsideamerica.com I’ve been to some of those places and they are intersting.
Well, I have to do my duty, (check my username) and recommend Yosemite National Park. It’s a major draw for international tourists and is considered one of the most beautiful places in America.
It’s about 4 1/2 hours from San Francisco, and 5-6 hours from L.A. (I always make it in about 5.) Check out http://www.yosemitefun.com as well–the site looks a little like a tabloid brochure, but this guy knows his stuff (I’ve corresponded with him) and he’s got LOTS of good information on his site. And the photography is gorgeous (even if the page takes forever to load). Check out the link near the bottom of the page, where the person from England wrote in and told him how much his site helped, including his suggested itinerary.
Go to North Dakota. Someone has to. There are even National Parks there.
Or you can go to Delaware and try to prove to several members of this board that it actuallly exists.
Definitely drive the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) - in particular Big Sur and 17 Mile Drive…it’s beyootiful.
Okay, here’s the definitive once-in-a-lifetime destination: Alaska! If you’re gonna be in Seattle, hop on a ferry and make the trip. If this trip is happening soon, you can catch the Fur Rondy in Anchorage. Alaska in the winter is fabulous. You could rent a car and see all the great sights right from the roads. If you are interested, I could recommend places to stay, things to do, etc. - or you could just take a look at one of the good websites for Alaska. Anchorage would be a good hub for adventure in the Last Frontier. No place in the world compares to the Whalefat Follies at The Fly-By-Night Club in Anchorage (well, Spenard, actually) for party atmosphere. Just tell Mr. Whitekeys that radar ralf sent ya!
I wholeheartedly agree with you in principle, but as a Memphibian I must interject that if you want to see what’s unique about Memphis, don’t go to Beale Street. No one who lives here goes there, because Beale Street is no longer what it became famous for: it is now some developers’ idea of what people want to see when they think they want to see the “Home of the Blues.”
One should definitely, however, stop through Memphis for a barbecue sandwich at the Bar-B-Q Shop on Madison. And take the Sun Studios tour while you’re here. Unless you’re a serious Elvis nut, you can skip Graceland. And we have some world-class dive-bars and juke joints here, if you’re into that kind of thing.
I second this suggestion.
If yoo’re looking to party, may I suggest driving to Austin after New Orleans - just as wild, but without that icky smell. Plus we’ve got hills ‘n’ stuff
Of the nineteen states I’ve been to, I have to say the best-smelling air is in Gatlinburg, TN. It’s a very touristy area, there’s a lot of people there, lots of manmade attractions, but it’s also right at the edge of the Smoky Mountains, and I’ll never forget how good the air smelled - outdoorsy, woodsy, smoky, ahh…
For all the flak West Virginia gets, it certainly is one of the prettiest states I’ve been to. Rolling mountains that go on forever, and it’s green every where. There’s not a whole lot to do there, but if you’re into camping or anything, Black Water Falls is pretty cool.
And I’ve always wanted to go to the Redwood National Park. I’ve never been that far west, so maybe some people who have been there can chime in, but the pictures of it are awesome. You ought to go and make me jealous