Is the US REALLY a worthwhile destination?
Dec 20th, 2000, 02:38 PM
#3
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trevor,
of course, but depends on what you like to do. if you want some crazy hiking and wilderness, check out the western areas like california, arizona, washington, oregon.
if you like big cities, chicago, new york can't be beat. you will find true melting pots and an amazing array of foods and cultures.
you could check out the new england area for its charm, beautiful landscapes and awesome seafood.
shit, what makes you so weary? i would wanna go anywhere.
danny
of course, but depends on what you like to do. if you want some crazy hiking and wilderness, check out the western areas like california, arizona, washington, oregon.
if you like big cities, chicago, new york can't be beat. you will find true melting pots and an amazing array of foods and cultures.
you could check out the new england area for its charm, beautiful landscapes and awesome seafood.
shit, what makes you so weary? i would wanna go anywhere.
danny
Dec 20th, 2000, 03:12 PM
#5
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Okay, Trevor. The United States is vast, incfedibly diverse country, scenic-wise.
Do you want great cities with loads of museums, theater and lots of other culture? Try New York, Chicago, Washington, etc.
Do you want great cities with great personalities? In addition to the above, try San Francisco, New Orleans, etc.
Do you want majestic beauty beyond belief? Try Yosemite National, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons, Rocky Mountain National Park, Glacier National Park, etc., etc., etc.
I could go on and on and on. Sorry, but no safaris to match Africa, but the United States has a hell of a lot to offer,, and it is really worthwhile seeing! What do you want to see and do?
Do you want great cities with loads of museums, theater and lots of other culture? Try New York, Chicago, Washington, etc.
Do you want great cities with great personalities? In addition to the above, try San Francisco, New Orleans, etc.
Do you want majestic beauty beyond belief? Try Yosemite National, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Tetons, Rocky Mountain National Park, Glacier National Park, etc., etc., etc.
I could go on and on and on. Sorry, but no safaris to match Africa, but the United States has a hell of a lot to offer,, and it is really worthwhile seeing! What do you want to see and do?
Dec 20th, 2000, 03:16 PM
#6
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I haven't been to Africa, but I have been to Australia and the wildlife there is pretty hard to beat that is for sure.But we have some really great places here.There is no way to see it all in one trip. San Deigo is a great west coast city. Utah has Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon and within 100 miles from them is the Grand Canyon.
New York might be someplace you would like. I can't really say I am crazy about it my self however, to many people for me.I did like Nigera Falls however.I am sure if you read some good travel books you will come up with some very good place that you will love. We do have alot of good places.
New York might be someplace you would like. I can't really say I am crazy about it my self however, to many people for me.I did like Nigera Falls however.I am sure if you read some good travel books you will come up with some very good place that you will love. We do have alot of good places.
Dec 20th, 2000, 03:17 PM
#7
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Well, I like the magestic coutryside, but I suppose a great city or two would be worthwhile - we have 3 weeks. Would love advice. Thanks very much for your reply. Sorry to sound unsure - it's just that other countries have given us incredible adventures
Dec 20th, 2000, 05:28 PM
#10
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Some places in the U.S. that you're not going to find anywhere in Europe, probably not in the world:
1) Yellowstone -- half the WORLD'S geysers are located in this park. The thermal features are more accessible than anywhere in the world.
2) Grand Canyon -- in terms of size and color, this cannot be beat. Perhaps TOO accessible; it can get crowded unless you're willing to walk for thirty minutes. Then you escape 90% of the crowds.
3) New York. Quick -- name cities with more Irish than Dublin. More Italians than Florence. More Jews than Tel Aviv. New York is ALL of these, plus the largest Chinese population outside of Asia. I won't mention the museums, art galleries, nightlife, restaurants, shops, cultural diversity, and general excitement; because you CAN find any quality higher in any ONE of those categories in many places around the world. But where can you find ALL of that in one places? Nowhere.
4) Arches Nat Park. You're not going to find this many natural arches in so small a place anywhere else.
5) Redwood/Sequoia Nat Park. World's tallest trees. World's largest trees.
6) Yosemite. Okay, MAYBE you'll find valleys and waterfalls this spectacular elsewhere, but you'll have to look pretty hard!
May I suggest flying into Los Angeles, renting a car, and then driving around to some of the national parks in the list above. You won't be able to see them all in three weeks, so pick and choose carefully!
1) Yellowstone -- half the WORLD'S geysers are located in this park. The thermal features are more accessible than anywhere in the world.
2) Grand Canyon -- in terms of size and color, this cannot be beat. Perhaps TOO accessible; it can get crowded unless you're willing to walk for thirty minutes. Then you escape 90% of the crowds.
3) New York. Quick -- name cities with more Irish than Dublin. More Italians than Florence. More Jews than Tel Aviv. New York is ALL of these, plus the largest Chinese population outside of Asia. I won't mention the museums, art galleries, nightlife, restaurants, shops, cultural diversity, and general excitement; because you CAN find any quality higher in any ONE of those categories in many places around the world. But where can you find ALL of that in one places? Nowhere.
4) Arches Nat Park. You're not going to find this many natural arches in so small a place anywhere else.
5) Redwood/Sequoia Nat Park. World's tallest trees. World's largest trees.
6) Yosemite. Okay, MAYBE you'll find valleys and waterfalls this spectacular elsewhere, but you'll have to look pretty hard!
May I suggest flying into Los Angeles, renting a car, and then driving around to some of the national parks in the list above. You won't be able to see them all in three weeks, so pick and choose carefully!
Dec 20th, 2000, 07:31 PM
#11
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trevor,
i spent 3 weeks in the u.s.a. in may and can't wait to go back. it's a pity new zealand is so far away!
we landed at l.a.x., hired a car, and off we went. we checked out l.a. for a couple of days then drove up to san francisco, an absolute must-see.
yosemite was breathtkingly beautiful.
we drove through the mojave to las vegas and then into utah. i'm sure you will enjoy the sights as much as we did. also if you go to the grand canyon make the trip to monument valley, we drove through coming from mesa verde and it was beautiful.
i spent 3 weeks in the u.s.a. in may and can't wait to go back. it's a pity new zealand is so far away!
we landed at l.a.x., hired a car, and off we went. we checked out l.a. for a couple of days then drove up to san francisco, an absolute must-see.
yosemite was breathtkingly beautiful.
we drove through the mojave to las vegas and then into utah. i'm sure you will enjoy the sights as much as we did. also if you go to the grand canyon make the trip to monument valley, we drove through coming from mesa verde and it was beautiful.
Dec 21st, 2000, 12:22 AM
#14
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I think you'll find the scenery very worthwhile and varied. My favourite, although it's hard to choose, would be the Arizona area - all those splendid saguaros standing like statues on the landscape, the amazing cave dwellings, the red rock, plus a dry climate (in parts) not unlike some regions of Africa. Fly over the Grand Canyon if possible. You will be awed! I also like the Dakotas, but I may be a minority. I would visit San Francisco because, well, it's San Francisco. California also has some beautiful rolling landscape inland, and then there's the coastline that continues dramatically through Oregon. I find something of interest nearly everywhere in the US - from the architecture to sand dunes, rain forests, mountains, prairie, cities and towns. The people are generally very welcoming too.
Dec 21st, 2000, 04:56 AM
#16
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Trevor, dearie, your choices in travel hitherto suggest that you prefer unpopulated natural wonders, in which case the US has an enormous amount to offer, as many of the responders have already noted; and I might add Alaska (which currently still belongs to us)to the list. You could spend your entire 3 weeks just covering the mountains and deserts of the far west -- there are several mountain ranges and lots of desert. Our national park system alone will comprise sights and expanses worth the trip, and a quick visit to http://www.us-parks.com/ will get you started.
But perhaps you are one of those travellers who sit back in your seat on the train, bus or car and challenge an area to "impress me," rather than doing a little detective work and digging out the treasures. I hope not, because there are some other things to see in our urban areas that might require a little self-education to appreciate.
A prime example would be Chicago's incredible architecture. In three days you can see a definitive concentration of some defining 20th c. architecture -- from the high-rises of the Loop designed by Louis Sullivan and others (there are 2 impressive architectural tours available) to the residential architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park (tours available) to (a couple of hours northwest) Taliesen (his school and residence) near Madison, WI. My own taste says that this work was far more human, graceful, and accessible than anything done by Bauhaus -- but at least it's there for you to compare.
Or there is a fair amount of American pioneering history to be discerned in cities of the former frontier (Chicago south and west), including pioneer villages, things like the Amana colonies and the various ghost towns of the west. I invite midwesterners and far-westerners to add specifics to that list. Before you begin your sophisticated Teutonic yawn about pioneering, consider that in Europe one would have to go back 1500 years for examples of humans having to survive in and populate a wilderness, while American pioneers did so here a scant 150 years ago -- the record is much fresher and some may well have been relatives of yours.
But perhaps you are one of those travellers who sit back in your seat on the train, bus or car and challenge an area to "impress me," rather than doing a little detective work and digging out the treasures. I hope not, because there are some other things to see in our urban areas that might require a little self-education to appreciate.
A prime example would be Chicago's incredible architecture. In three days you can see a definitive concentration of some defining 20th c. architecture -- from the high-rises of the Loop designed by Louis Sullivan and others (there are 2 impressive architectural tours available) to the residential architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park (tours available) to (a couple of hours northwest) Taliesen (his school and residence) near Madison, WI. My own taste says that this work was far more human, graceful, and accessible than anything done by Bauhaus -- but at least it's there for you to compare.
Or there is a fair amount of American pioneering history to be discerned in cities of the former frontier (Chicago south and west), including pioneer villages, things like the Amana colonies and the various ghost towns of the west. I invite midwesterners and far-westerners to add specifics to that list. Before you begin your sophisticated Teutonic yawn about pioneering, consider that in Europe one would have to go back 1500 years for examples of humans having to survive in and populate a wilderness, while American pioneers did so here a scant 150 years ago -- the record is much fresher and some may well have been relatives of yours.
Dec 21st, 2000, 01:09 PM
#18
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YES! What is your WIFE interesting in seeing? Here is some Virginia & DC info: Any interest in American Civil War & Revolutionary history? We always get lots of german tourists in virginia and you can rent a car and drive most of the route of General Lee's retreat! Smithsonian, museums & monuments in DC are not duplicated anywhere in the world. Mount Vernon, George Washington's plantation. In Virginia: Manassas, Richmond and Petersburg battlefields, Williamsburg & Yorktown. one of the most beautiful and BEST amusement parks ANYWHERE: Busch Gardens Williamsburg with outstanding roller coasters. Chincoteague & Assateague Islands with wild horses, birds, all sorts of unique Chesapeake Bay life.
Dec 21st, 2000, 03:13 PM
#20
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Thanks so much for the freeback good and bad! No, nothing to do with Sjoerd - whoever he/she is. Folks, I've done masses of homework on the US - I just want your great advice. Please keep it coming. The parks sound amazing - I'm concerned they'll be packed out with tourists though. I'm also keen to see a 'real' American city.
