aussie seniors 4 weeks in USA
Dec 4th, 2010, 07:41 PM
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aussie seniors 4 weeks in USA
My wife and I will spend about 4 weeks (flexible) in USA late April to late May 2011. We fly into San Francisco from Sydney. Thinking 5 nights in SF then fly New York stay five nights then travel to Boston area, bus, train? Then free for two weeks to travel where advice takes us but will visit son in Toronto during that time. We have previously visited NY, Rochester, Washington, New Orleans, Logan, Detroit, Niagara, LA, Lexington, Minneapolis and Louisville.
Interests are history, food and wine, people, museums, galleries. We like to stay a minimum of 4 nights in one place.
Please make suggestions, where to stay (***+) and what to visit and where else to go to.
We like to avoid strenuous activities!
Interests are history, food and wine, people, museums, galleries. We like to stay a minimum of 4 nights in one place.
Please make suggestions, where to stay (***+) and what to visit and where else to go to.
We like to avoid strenuous activities!
Dec 4th, 2010, 08:49 PM
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As a fellow Aussie, can I suggest Quebec and Montreal. We loved both cities - a great mixture of old and new.
Another suggestion is to stay at Kingston or Gananaquoe (?)and do a short cruise in 1000 Islands national park.
Another suggestion is to stay at Kingston or Gananaquoe (?)and do a short cruise in 1000 Islands national park.
Dec 5th, 2010, 05:43 AM
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You need to understand that if head farther north you will be in early spring weather and it can still be quite chilly. Other areas of Canada are one idea. But you might consider other areas of CA as well. I personally dislike LA - but a lot of people enjoy it- and San Diego is definitely worth while.. do you have the option of seeing them on the way back.
Other parts of New England can also be great - and in May you'll definitely be ahead of the crowds - although too early for the water. For that you would need to rent a car - but for 4 people that would make sense. Head for Newport with it's famous "summer cottage" mansions of the uber wealthy, Plymouth Rock/Plantation, Cape Cod, Old Sturbridge Village, the Berkshires. A New 'England guide book will give you tons of options.
Other parts of New England can also be great - and in May you'll definitely be ahead of the crowds - although too early for the water. For that you would need to rent a car - but for 4 people that would make sense. Head for Newport with it's famous "summer cottage" mansions of the uber wealthy, Plymouth Rock/Plantation, Cape Cod, Old Sturbridge Village, the Berkshires. A New 'England guide book will give you tons of options.
Dec 5th, 2010, 07:52 AM
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I see a definite lack of the southern U.S. from your travels, so perhaps this would be the year to rectify that. Two places that immediately come to mind are Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. All of your interests--food, people, museums,etc.--will be met in those two cities.
BTW, we spent several great days in Ballarat when we lived in Australia. My son still has the Eureka Stockade flag he got there displayed on his desk.
BTW, we spent several great days in Ballarat when we lived in Australia. My son still has the Eureka Stockade flag he got there displayed on his desk.
Dec 5th, 2010, 08:01 AM
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Upon a second reading, I see that you actually have been to some cities in the South (New Orleans, Lexington and Louisville) but I still think Charleston and Savannah would be excellent choices for you.
But I do see that you haven't been to the Southwest--Arizona, New Mexico, Utah etc. There are some great cities in the Southwest with good museums and fantastic food. Plus, there's some of the most incredible natural wonders and beautiful scenery in those states. I think you would particularly enjoy Santa Fe, Mew Mexico.
But I do see that you haven't been to the Southwest--Arizona, New Mexico, Utah etc. There are some great cities in the Southwest with good museums and fantastic food. Plus, there's some of the most incredible natural wonders and beautiful scenery in those states. I think you would particularly enjoy Santa Fe, Mew Mexico.
Dec 5th, 2010, 12:20 PM
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Welcome back!
Who here knows how long it takes to take the train from NYC to Boston? I think it might be easier to train than fly and be about the same time? Can anyone confirm for Ballarat?
My DH and I spent one week in NYC and had to go back for 2 more weekends to see everything on our list! If you can add a couple of nights, you'll find lots to do and see there particularly if you are not going at a breakneck pace.
Charleston is lovely and Savannah is the quirky version of Charleston in my opinion. Agree about Quebec City also and it makes sense since you are going in that general direction.
Who here knows how long it takes to take the train from NYC to Boston? I think it might be easier to train than fly and be about the same time? Can anyone confirm for Ballarat?
My DH and I spent one week in NYC and had to go back for 2 more weekends to see everything on our list! If you can add a couple of nights, you'll find lots to do and see there particularly if you are not going at a breakneck pace.
Charleston is lovely and Savannah is the quirky version of Charleston in my opinion. Agree about Quebec City also and it makes sense since you are going in that general direction.
Dec 5th, 2010, 04:42 PM
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Train or plane NYC to Boston is the same - about 4 hours. Naturally with plane you're only in the air less than an hour - but with trekking to and fro the airports, security and waiting around the time is the same as train center city to center city. If you get advance tickets train is usually cheaper (a little). It is also much more comfortable.
Dec 6th, 2010, 01:33 AM
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Thanks everyone. Some excellent advice so far. Opens our horizons, perhaps we need more than 4 weeks to do it justice. This year we had 5 weeks in Italy and that went too fast!
My traveler your comments on New England are very interesting. Would you care to recommend a base from which to do day trips other than Boston which does seem to be very expensive for accommodation? The train does sound suitable and one sees more from a train than the aeroplane. I presume once in the New England region we should hire a car to see it all properly.
My traveler your comments on New England are very interesting. Would you care to recommend a base from which to do day trips other than Boston which does seem to be very expensive for accommodation? The train does sound suitable and one sees more from a train than the aeroplane. I presume once in the New England region we should hire a car to see it all properly.
Dec 6th, 2010, 01:45 AM
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T Dudette, I understand your comment on New York, we felt the same on our only visit to NY. I will google Savannah and Charleston to learn a little more about them. We are probably going to Canada so your comment on Quebec is helpful and maybe our son can spend time away from Toronto to meet us in Quebec. We have spent time in Toronto previously and enjoyed it. It is quite like our Sydney. Thanks again everyone, please keep it coming. Much appreciated.
Dec 6th, 2010, 03:28 AM
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I'm in Charleston. That time of year is the perfect time to come to this area. Azaleas will be in bloom and the temps will be great for outdoor activities like touring the Historic District and plantations. I recommend you stay in the HD either at Harborview, Charleston Place or French Quarter Inn.
Dec 6th, 2010, 05:51 AM
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Ballarat, try looking for accommodation just outside of Boston. For example, Lexington MA (where "the shot heard round the world" happened at the start of our Revolutionary War) is a cute town with a number of lodging options and restaurants.
From there with a rental car, it's easy to: get to southeast New England as nytraveler suggests (RI, Cape Cod); explore the immediate area for more colonial history and pretty towns; or head out to the Berkshires - though you probably want to overnight out there to take in the scenery, shops and museums.
And while you won't want a car in Boston proper, it's a short drive from Lexington to the "T" subway terminus at Alewife Station, where there is a large parking garage and a direct line into Cambridge and downtown Boston.
From there with a rental car, it's easy to: get to southeast New England as nytraveler suggests (RI, Cape Cod); explore the immediate area for more colonial history and pretty towns; or head out to the Berkshires - though you probably want to overnight out there to take in the scenery, shops and museums.
And while you won't want a car in Boston proper, it's a short drive from Lexington to the "T" subway terminus at Alewife Station, where there is a large parking garage and a direct line into Cambridge and downtown Boston.
Dec 6th, 2010, 11:20 AM
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Doesn't sound to me like you have seen much of the Midwest or West. Might I suggest flying from Boston/Toronto/NYC or whatever on the East Coast to Chicago and spending a few days there? You can easily spend 4 days in Chicago. In the early spring, you can do the city (art institue, history museum, science musuem, planetarium, Grant Park, Mich Ave shopping, Wrigley Field, some Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Oak Park, the Botanic Gardens in Glencoe. From Chicago, you could fly or drive to Denver, spend a couple days checking out the city, drive up north and do Yellostone, GTNP, making your way overland to SF and your return. Lots of traveling, but seeing parts of the US not previously on your radar.
First, confirm your interest, then I have hotel, restaurant, and tourist info. Good Luck!
First, confirm your interest, then I have hotel, restaurant, and tourist info. Good Luck!
Dec 6th, 2010, 01:07 PM
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For travel between NYC and Boston, look into http://www.peterpanbus.com/bus_trave...ty-bus-travel/ as an alternative to the train or plane. I would also look into the various Chinatown bus services, but others feel that they are not the safest in the world. But they would be the cheapest and I've had no problems using this service between NYC and Philadelphia.
Dec 6th, 2010, 09:24 PM
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Longhorn55, yes we have been to Utah, Saltlake and Logab, Sorry I had not mentioned Utah, my mistake.
Aliska. Following your comments I have been looking at Chicago. It would reduce our flying time and the air fares look very reasonable from SF. How long would the drive take from Chicago to Charleston?
TDudette. No we have no ducks in a row at this stage every option is open. After Charleston then what? There are no direct flights at that time to Boston that I could find. Train may be an option but again changing trains with luggage does not appeal.Coach?
ggreen thanks for the suggestion. Have found a nice b&b in Lexingon so could do the rest by day trips from there do you think? Presume I can hire in Lexington.
Aliska. Following your comments I have been looking at Chicago. It would reduce our flying time and the air fares look very reasonable from SF. How long would the drive take from Chicago to Charleston?
TDudette. No we have no ducks in a row at this stage every option is open. After Charleston then what? There are no direct flights at that time to Boston that I could find. Train may be an option but again changing trains with luggage does not appeal.Coach?
ggreen thanks for the suggestion. Have found a nice b&b in Lexingon so could do the rest by day trips from there do you think? Presume I can hire in Lexington.
Dec 7th, 2010, 05:51 AM
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FWIW, not having a direct Charleston-Boston flight isn't too terrible - if it looks like you'll want to save time on that leg of the trip, changing planes in Charlotte or Philadelphia might be preferable to other transportation options.
Also - depending on the rental car prices and flight cost/availability - *if* you're changing planes anyway you could fly to Providence, RI instead of Boston. Being a smaller airport, it's quite straightforward to navigate and to get on the road. Pick up the rental car there, drive to Newport and up to Plymouth/the Cape and then onward. One difference with this itinerary though is that you'd want to have at least one overnight in the area. (Newport and the neighboring Middletown and Portsmouth have plenty of lodging options.)
As for the car rental, it will be best to get it at your arrival point (e.g., Logan Airport) and drive to Lexington. I'll admit that getting through Boston, the traffic is often rather congested - but at least now that the "Big Dig" is over with, it's a lot less complicated!
Yes, from Lexington IMO you can do the the rest by day trips. Just know that getting to the Berkshires in western MA or the tip of Cape Cod at Provincetown will be a long drive... (There are ferries from Boston to "P-town" that might appeal.)
Recently, I have been using Google Maps driving directions for most of my trips, even public transit and bicycling(!). The directions appear to take traffic and construction into account in their estimated times: you can also get a "traffic view" with red/green indicators. And you can drag-and-drop the route line if you'd like to try a different path: this feature is especially useful here in the NYC area! Moreover, you can create maps and store them for later use; you just need a (free) Google account. (FWIW, I don't even use mine for email, just for the other features.
) This way, you could plan out parts of your trip, tweak them as you continue to plan, refer to them during your vacation...
Also - depending on the rental car prices and flight cost/availability - *if* you're changing planes anyway you could fly to Providence, RI instead of Boston. Being a smaller airport, it's quite straightforward to navigate and to get on the road. Pick up the rental car there, drive to Newport and up to Plymouth/the Cape and then onward. One difference with this itinerary though is that you'd want to have at least one overnight in the area. (Newport and the neighboring Middletown and Portsmouth have plenty of lodging options.)
As for the car rental, it will be best to get it at your arrival point (e.g., Logan Airport) and drive to Lexington. I'll admit that getting through Boston, the traffic is often rather congested - but at least now that the "Big Dig" is over with, it's a lot less complicated!
Yes, from Lexington IMO you can do the the rest by day trips. Just know that getting to the Berkshires in western MA or the tip of Cape Cod at Provincetown will be a long drive... (There are ferries from Boston to "P-town" that might appeal.)
Recently, I have been using Google Maps driving directions for most of my trips, even public transit and bicycling(!). The directions appear to take traffic and construction into account in their estimated times: you can also get a "traffic view" with red/green indicators. And you can drag-and-drop the route line if you'd like to try a different path: this feature is especially useful here in the NYC area! Moreover, you can create maps and store them for later use; you just need a (free) Google account. (FWIW, I don't even use mine for email, just for the other features.
) This way, you could plan out parts of your trip, tweak them as you continue to plan, refer to them during your vacation...
Dec 7th, 2010, 01:27 PM
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I'm sure someone said there is a flight from Savannah to NYC. You could go to Savannah from SF and goof around there/Charleston then go to NYC. From there Boston and CD. Quebec City is very pretty.
Dec 7th, 2010, 08:47 PM
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Thankyou heaps. The itinerary now looks as follows:
May 3: Melbourne to San Francisco
May 10: San Francisco to Albuquerque nm, rail runner to Santa Fe nm
May 15 Albuquerque to Charleston
May 21 Charleston to New York
Then to Lexington as a base for several days
Probably then to Toronto and/or Quebec
June 4 Los Angeles to Melbourne
Will not confirm anything flights, accommodation,etc before Christmas when our family of 7 get together and all will want to put their six penneth! Plenty of time for any suggestions to the contrary or where to go between Toronto and Los Angeles. All dates are flexible including the length of stay in USA.
Thanks for everyone's input and I hope you can recognise the results in the itinerary so far. Suewoo thanks for hotel recommendations but those three are above what we intend to spend on accommodation. Would be pleased to hear if you have any other recommendations.
May 3: Melbourne to San Francisco
May 10: San Francisco to Albuquerque nm, rail runner to Santa Fe nm
May 15 Albuquerque to Charleston
May 21 Charleston to New York
Then to Lexington as a base for several days
Probably then to Toronto and/or Quebec
June 4 Los Angeles to Melbourne
Will not confirm anything flights, accommodation,etc before Christmas when our family of 7 get together and all will want to put their six penneth! Plenty of time for any suggestions to the contrary or where to go between Toronto and Los Angeles. All dates are flexible including the length of stay in USA.
Thanks for everyone's input and I hope you can recognise the results in the itinerary so far. Suewoo thanks for hotel recommendations but those three are above what we intend to spend on accommodation. Would be pleased to hear if you have any other recommendations.
