A trip to the USA would not be complete if you did not stop in the "heartland" of this country. Our European friends really enjoy visiting places like Chicago, Tulsa, Louisville, and the Smoky Mountains when they come over. Thanks to those fodorites who are defending what some call the "flyover" parts. And, yes, I do live in the middle!!!

Rather than flying from place to place to place, I'd suggest driving across!! Sounds like you have to time to do this. Rent a car and GO!! We have friends who will come from Thailand and drive from Chicago to LA for about three weeks on their honeymoon. The groom has been in the heartland before, and loved it. That is why he wants to return and drive across it.

Here's a European's view.

New York, Las Vegas (for the buildings and the people, not the unpleasant casinos and overpriced shows) and Washington (for its extraordinary dedication to the religion of Americanism, which looks probably less odd to an Ozzie than to a European) are not to be missed.

Those three apart, America really doesn't do cities terribly well. San Francisco really has to be the most over-rated (though in fairness, mostly by its own citizens) city on the planet. And I can't believe even the citizens of Seattle rate their town that highly. But you do need to see one of the Disney parks as well. Preferably in Florida, since there are other slugs of Americana there too.

You must drive as much as possible. Preferably as near as possible to populated areas, since America's radio stations are the most glorious window onto a civilisation anywhere in the world. Neo-con shock jocks, BBC-clone NPR stations, decent jazz, C+W singers' constant laments about divorce lawyers, funeral directors and jailers. All human life - along with several dozen lifeforms from some differently-brained species - is there.

America's second greatest contribution to civilisation after radio - spacious suburbs - is probably wasted on a Melburnian, since you've adopted them so well. But realy good suburbs (like Cleveland's Shaker Heights) are on an infinitely more generous scale than anything I've ever seen in Victoris. The Frank Lloyd Wright buildings around Chicago's suburbs (and Chicago is really the other American town that's worth visiting) are the most beautiful suburban constructions anywhere.

Otherwise, it's the countryside. Even just the cliches like Niagara, Death Valley (though that probably knocks Europeans out more than Australians), Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. Or the coastal drive from the Canadian border, through Washington State, Oregon and California.

In other words, what's exciting about touring America is how utterly unEuropean it is. There's no point looking for an American equivalent of Venice or Little Puddlecombe on the Marsh. DisneyWorld - or the extraordinary pastiche of Venice in Las Vegas - have to be accepted on their own merits.

Which, it has to be said, are considerable.

I agree with many of Rex's suggestions.

Two cities I would absolutely not miss are New York and San Francisco (I personally do not think it is overrated!).
Also not to be missed I think is Yosemite National Park.
I would also spend time in Napa Valley and the Southwest (Grand Canyon, Bryce National Park).

If you want something in the "middle" of the country, I would consider Jackson Hole, the Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone in Wyoming. If you want a city, I would consider Santa Fe or Chicago.

If you're interested in US history at all, Wash DC and surrounding areas of Williamsburg and Monticello are beautiful!

You may consider ending in Hawaii before you go home. Certainly, it is unlike any other US state. Have you been there already?

You are so lucky! Many people take a lifetime to visit all these places.
As Ira said, do some research and then ask some specific questions. We are all more than happy to help.

Have fun planning!
Dina

Just a few comments:

I agree with spending some time in New York, but four or five days would give you a good taste.

I also agree that you should do a significant part of the trip by car. I don't know what fuel prices are like in Australia, but it's less than half the cost to drive in Europe, and we don't have nearly as many toll roads (especially in "flyover" country).

San Franciso or LA as a point of entry would be logical (and neither would require more than 2 or 3 days), then one or two of our great National Parks (depending on where you enter the US--if SF, probably Yosemite, if LA, probably Grand Canyon), then a drive across the midsection somewhere. One scenic drive that I will reccomend is the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs through GA, NC, VA. You can enter this route any number of places, but probably the most specatular part is toward the northern end, through Shenandoa National Park.

I would not really want to drive into New York, so I would be looking for some place to drop my rental car, then fly to NY. My suggestion would be that, wherever you go in the interior, end up in Washington, the fly (or take Amtrack) to New York. You could fly from Orlando or Miami if you want to see Disney World rahter than DC.

As a European, I tell you what we did when we took my brother and his wife to their first tour to the USA. We had three weeks:

We started in New York City, then drove up along the coast via New Hampshire (tycoon mansions) and Cape Cod and Plymouth Plantation to Boston. From there to Niagara. From there to Pennsylvania (Amish People), Washington D.C. and back to NYC.

Flight to Salt Lake City. Driving to Yellowstone and via Dinosaur National Monument to Grand Canyon's North Rim, Bryce Canyon, a bit of Las Vegas and back to Salt Lake City.

They enjoyed a wonderful tour. Average driving distance was 500km a day, but at many places, we stayed for two or three days.

As you have more time you can make some extensions: I would strongly suggest to include Northern New Mexico into the trip to the Southwest, and if you are in Las Vegas (half a day is more than enough for that place) it is just a short trip to Los Angeles. It is said that driving Highway no 1 between L.A. and San Francisco is nice, but we tried several times in vain because is was always foggy.

CotswoldScouser/FlannerUK/Flanner2 or whatever handle he takes next, doesn't know American cities half as well as he thinks he does. Portland, OR, is a wonderful city to visit; it's green, beautiful (with excellent gardens, including the Rose, Japanese and Chinese gardens), has terrific restaurants and good galleries. And from Portland you are within an easy drive of both the magnificent Oregon coast and the splendid Cascade mountains. Savannah, GA or Charleston, SC, or Philadelphia, PA, are also all worth visiting (if you like Impressionist art, then you really shouldn't miss the Barnes Foundation museum near Philly). And from Philly you can also take a day (or two) detour out to Amish country. In Philly, among all the "serious" sights worth seeing, you can also run up the Art Museum steps a la Rocky as many first-time visitors do if they're able (even if they never admit to anyone back home that they did something so corny).
I've live in Europe for years and enjoy it very much, but every time I go back to the U.S., I see anew how beautiful it is--INCLUDING its cities.

Many of my European friends and colleagues tell me what they like best about the US are the scenic natural areas like Yellowstone, Glacier Natl Park, the American southwest, etc.

My wife and I travel to southern Utah at least once a year, and we almost always encounter tourists from western Europe, especially (for some reason) Germany and Belgium.

I can imagine that a German or Belgian child seeing a picture of Delicate Arch or Bryce Canyon might be as captivated as I was when, in 7th grade French class, I saw my first picture of Mont St Michel. A striking image of a place so different and so far away can instill a never-ending ambition to make the trek. I didn't visit Mont St Michel until I was in my late 30s, but it was always on the list.

On another note, it's hard to know whether a visitor from Australia would find the scenery of the American southwest appealing, since there are similar landscapes in his or her own country. On the other hand, places like Yellowstone, the Olympic peninsula, Rocky Mt and Glacier Natl Parks are likely quite different than anything Down Under.

4-5 weeks...

I would plan a week in SF, a week in NYC, a few days in Boston.

I would suggest you also see the one-of-a-kind places (though distinctly un-European) with the other half of your time:

Las Vegas (2 days max) - you'll be scratching your head wondering what planet you are on...

New Orleans

Tuscon or Santa Fe

Miami

One or two of the Nat'l Parks in the Southwest.

Are you on a Oneworld or Star Alliance RTW? If on OW and you're flying home on Qantas, you could also depart from JFK, or, depending on time of year, Vancouver. Or, your last "legal" N. America segment could be to Hawaii, then home to Oz on the HNL-SYD nonstop.

If you're flying with Star Alliance, then your choices would also include Vancouver, Chicago or Honolulu, as well as LAX and SFO.

Reason for this being, you can tailor your itinerary around N. America to meet the prevailing weather conditions, local festivals or events, or you can avoid areas that might be sub-optimal for local conditions or for your interests.

What's not to be missed in N. America for Aussies who like Europe?

Cape Canaveral. Glaciers. Cajun food. The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. The Everglades. The Sea to Sky Highway. Central Park. Bryce Canyon. Nantucket. Bears. Beale Street. Quebec City. The Pike Place Market. Fenway Park. Denali. Lake Shore Drive. Kilauea. Vegas. I could go on...

No I don't think you'll be disappointed unless you want to be.

I helped host a group of guests from the UK here in Seattle last summer, and what they most wanted to see was our parks, and volcanoes. We took them to Olympic National Park (peaks and wild beaches), Mt. Rainier, and the North Cascades. Some of them took time after the hosted trip to visit Mt. St. Helens, too. Yellowstone is also close. For a world-class city, you could visit Vancouver, B.C. (yes, I do know that's not the US, but it's a beautiful city). Then head down to San Francisco/Sonoma Valley/Mendocino coast. It is NOT overrated.

As for disappointment, that it an individual thing. Certainly, the US is not Europe, and US cities are not at all like European ones. But I will pass on what our British guests said---that they found Americans to be the friendliest people in the world.

If I had a month - a week exploring the West Coast, particularly the San Francisco area & wine country. Since you are Aussies it may be a nice comparison to the wineries you have at home. The SW - Sedona, The Grand Canyon & LV should be able to fit into week #2. Week #3 - Split between NY & DC (the majority in NY). Week #4 Head to Miami & drive out the Keys. I'd also try to fit New Orleans in since it was (& is) my favorite US travel destination & may be most like something one would find in Europe. You'll still be missing a lot, but then, perhaps you'll decide to come back. That's why I keep returning to Europe.

I live in Denver and have spent summers in Estes Park (a town bordering Rocky Mountain National Park) for the past 21 years ever since I was 5 years old. You could <u>easily</u> spend a full week exploring Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak (1 hour south of Denver), the mountain towns west of Denver including Vail and Winter Park among many others, and Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.

http://www.estes-park.com/
http://www.estesparkresort.com/

http://www.coloradosprings.com/


If you are looking for <b>nice</b> budget accomodations I highly recommend the YMCA of the Rockies Conference Center and Family Resort. It is NOT anything like what a normal YMCA is... it is really nice and has been featured as a great destination in prominant magazines for a quarter-of-a-century. There is a livery on sight so you can ride horses, you can also rent mountain bikes, there are tennis courts and mini golf, there is an indoor swimming pool, the property is adjacent to the National Parl so you can hike right in, there is a fabulous museum and a neat arts and crafts center... and much much more. We always rent a cabin but there are also nice lodges.

http://www.ymcarockies.org/

You might find Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia and the Historical Triangle interesting, if early American history interests you.

http://www.history.org/

Are you planning to fly in the States or drive? If the bulk of your 5 weeks are in the western US, I would suggest that you rent a car, and if you are campers, spend around $300 for camping equipment to camp around the Southwest and the Rockies. Just buy cheapo equipment in a Taget, K-Mart or other mega store that carries camping equipment. It will be much cheaper than staying in motels, both because public campgrounds are cheaper and because even minimal cooking for yourselves will save you a great deal of money. It also offers a better view of the area.

Definitely agree on New York and San Francisco, they've got more flavor than other U.S. cities. I love Chicago too, but there's a certain generic-ness to it.
If you're fascinated by the cheesy side of Americana, you might want to visit Las Vegas or Walt Disney World, where you can see faux versions of Venice, New York, Paris etc etc and realize how much you miss the real thing.

If it is late summer, check out the West Coast and consider Vancouver, Canada.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Mesa Verde National Park. The cliff dwellings are something totally unique. If you are truly outdoor people, go to northern Minnesota and take a trip into the Boundary Waters National Park where all motor vehicles are forbidden. Only hiking and canoeing are allowed. It is a true glimpse of the wilderness our country used to be.

Personally I am more a fan of San Francisco that NYC. I really love Washington DC and I think a visitor can spend quite a bit of time there because there are so many things to do. That could be combined with a visit to Williamsburg for a taste of US history. If you like Europe I suspect you would also like Charlestson and Savannah and the coastalk areas there.

Just have to take exception to Rex's comment about New Orleans...our heart and soul is definitely back! It never really left. (Now, electricity, street lights, schools, honest politicians, housing...that's what's in short supply!)

Seriously, NO is open for tourists! The French Quarter wasn't damaged badly, and more hotels and restaurants open every day. If only we could get Congress to come visit to see what's needed!

Parades start tomorrow night, so we locals will finally get a chance to forget levees, trailers, contractors, blue roofs, and all that for a few hours :) Wear your purple, green &amp; gold on Feb 28 to show your support for New Orleans!!

I would also make sure you see the Pacific Northwest...one of my favorite parts of the country.

Anne

One more thought: The drive from Chicago to California on old US 66 is one of the classic American journeys. There are tons of books devoted to the subject, and the Chevy Chase comedy &quot;National Lampoon's Vacation&quot; was a comic look at the classic middle American road trip (from Chicago to a Disney knockoff known as &quot;Wallyworld&quot;). I don't know that you'd be interested in making the entire drive, but you could certainly hit parts of it and see some terrific scenery.

If you go to Vegas, you can cross Hoover Dam on your way to Kingman, Arizona, where you pick up old Route 66, then swing by the Grand Canyon. After that, it's on to Albuquerqe (and that infamous left turn that Bugs Bunny always talked about in the Warner Brothers cartoons), and from there you can go to Santa Fe before striking out across the plains. From there, you would have multiple choices where to go--south to Florida, east to DC, or northeast to NY and New England.

Wow, the answers are really all over the board....mainly because no one really knows what fofrommelbourne's interests are.

Just like Australia, it's a huge country, with an amazing variety of places to visit. If you like cities, well, you've gotten a lot of input on that. If you like natural scenery, well, you've got a lot of input on that.

You might find it a bit worthwhile, since you have so much time, to do a little exploring and get off the beaten path. New York isn't America, it's New York. Washington DC isn't America, it's DC and so on and so on. They are all parts of the US, just not the be all and end all.

I certainly wouldn't miss NY if I were you (love it!) but, try to spread your wings a little.

Do you like biking? Take a ride across the state of Missouri on the Katy Trail. It's beautiful, and a state park to boot.

Someone mentioned the Boundary Waters, oh my, seriously go do some canoeing.

Someone else also mentioned Mesa Verde. On your way there from Colorado Springs (another fav and by the way, check out Mueller State Park west of the springs for a fantastic mountain experience without the Estes Park masses) stop at the Great Sand Dunes. Go figure. Sand Dunes in the middle of Colorado.

Back to Mesa Verde (I got distracted) it is the most amazing place and is rated very highly for top travel experiences. Check out Portland Oregon then go to the Oregon Coast. The Oregon Coast is stunning without the crowds you get further south. Lots of great little town to stay in a hiking trails. If you golf, try Bandon Dunes in Oregon.

See? It could go on and on!