Veronica d' Avila

I'm brazilian, and this is my opportunity to visit the California and NY. I will stay in California 15 days and 10 days in NY. Please, help me to find the best places. Thanks.

Cal

I am a native Californian. California offers something for everybody. It has mountains, ocean, deserts, and great cities. I would start in either San Francisco and head south to San Diego or do the reverse. Plan on a few days in San Diego, Los Angeles and of course San Francisco. Travel along the coast through the big Sur. A lot depends on the time of year. My favorite time of the year to travel in California is October. The weather is pleasant and it is usually clearer along the coast. June is probably the worst month for traveling along the coast due to fog. We call it the June gloom. The rainy season is from December through March. Novemebr and April can get some rain but typically are pretty good. This does not include this past year when El Niño took its toll and turned the weather upside down. Apart from the coast, you should visit Yosemite national park and Lake Tahoe. While in San Franciso, take a trip north to the Napa Valley. It can be done as a day trip. All three major cities are great paces to visit.

Wwlcome to our beautiful state and have a great time.

Owen O'Neill

The above response offers good suggestions for California. However, if you attempt such an ambitious intinerary, keep in mind the driving distances in California - it is a huge state. If you go to BIg Sur, you must see the Point Lobos park where nature photographer Edward Weston shot many famous works - it's spectacular. I also recommend going a bit north of SF and seeing the redwood forests. Read up on the attractions of the three cities mentioned above - with the exception of the new Getty Museum, LA has little of interest fro me (strictly personal opinion). You might be taking on too much to try seeing all three cities and NY in 15 days.
Most tourist guidebooks to NYC will have all the usual popular sights recommended. Also consider seeing the Cloisters and the Frick. If you're culturally/historically minded, these are fascinating and less well known than the big attractions. Best way to see the Statue of Liberty and the NYC skyline is to take a Circle Line boat tour or better yet (because it's free!) is the Staten Island Ferry. The lines at the statue itself are very long.

Cal

Owen:

The person requesting the information stated that they will have 15 days in California and 10 in New York. Though a little ambitious, I believe that they could cover the area fairly well in that period of time. I would allow 3 days for San Diego, 2 days for Los Angeles, and 4 days for San Francisco. San Francisco would be a base for exploring other nearby areas. You made a good suggestion on going north of San Francisco. I am heading up there and into Oregon next Monday. I would also allow for 3 days to travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco. This gives some time to see Solvang which is a little tacky but beautiful countryside. There would be time to travel the Big Sur and visit Carmel, Monterrey etc. Take the time to go on the 17 mile drive just north of Carmel. Well worth it. Let's see how many days have been used up. My calculations indicate that we have used up 12 days. The other 3 could be used for Yosemite and Lake Tahoe if you don't dawdle. Of course these are only suggestions. You can juggle the days around however you want to suit your preferences.

amanda bloom

hi, i live in Los Angeles California and you should definitly see Los Angeles. There is something for everybody here and you will like it. Especially visit hollywood blvd. It has the mann chinese theatre which displays handprints and footprints of famous movie stars such as Shirley Temple, & Elizabeth Taylor and there is a bunch of little shops. Cruise Beverly Hills to if you have time. one of the number one things you should see though is santa monica pier. It has a great view pf the ocean, in fact you are right over the ocean!. It's so beautiful! it has rides and games and a whole load of great things. By santa monica pier is 3rd street promenade. Great place! they have filmed several things there. right now, santa minica is on a filming spree too! they have filmed a total of six things there. You should ow so definitly visit Disneyland! its a dream. and at the manns chinese theatre you can get information on tours of the stars homes too. if you want you can take the ferry over to Catalina Island. it has a bunch of gardens and attractions. You should visit universal studios and citywalk.B e sure to try the countrystar restourant.And if you like high thrills, visit magic mountain. You will also enjoy farmers market, a couple of miles from the blvd.
keep your eye out on farmers market, i once saw kim basinger and Alec Baldwin there. You will love los angeles! i garantee! just makesure you take your time and injoy all the los angeles sites i have told you about! have fun and enjoy your trip!
Amanda Bloom
age: 12 and 4 months
Los Angeles, California

Owen O'Neill

I stand corrected re/my previous response (not the first time!). I thought the 15 days was total time available. I agree that this is enough time. Yosemite is a good idea if time is available. Also, since three days could be used for LA to SF trip, Hearst Castle (San Simeon) would be worth seeing, as well as the aquarium at Monterey.

Rob

Veronica, you are going to be in awe of the size, speed and people of NYC (Manhattan)....take that from a New Yorker. Visiting Times Square at night for the first time is awesome! If you are staying with friends', they should be able to provide a lot of good advice. If you are staying at hostel or hotel, try to stay in Manhattan and not in the other boroughs (i.e, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx)--you will be in a much better strategic location. If I were visiting for the first time, I would take a few hours and walk around Midtown area and Times Square and Broadway to soak it all in. If you want to tourist stuff (Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, World Trade Center, etc), then fine. But, I would also take time to really get the feel of NYC, and make sure to visit SOHO restaurants and clubs; Greenwich Village cafes, Central Park during the weekend, Brooklyn Bridge, . But, most of all, I think it is best to see the city on foot (although the Subway system will get you whereever you want to go), but you can see a lot of strange things and people in a day. So much more to tell....

Veronica d' Avila

You were great for me. Be sure that the comments went very useful for the planning of my trip. I am arriving in Los Angeles in August 09, now my plans will move for better: I have one month to take advantage of my vacations ! Thanks for help ! Twist for me !
PS: Forgive me for the problable grammatical mistakes... I am Brazilian, I live in Rio de Janeiro ( do you know ? ) and I don't speak English very well...
PS 2 : If some day you have interest of knowing Brazil, seek for me. I can also give several clues to you.
Fort hug !!!

Thelma Meyer

NYC is a seaport town--visit the South St seaport & Battery Pk city -- waterfront park & marina. Interesting little places to eat too--close to City Hall Park, & Wall St. - Central Park is wonderful - performers everywhere (& thousands of people).Bus ride down 5th Ave. Also you can finally get weekly transportation Metro card ($17). There's so much more, of course. Oh - Lincoln Center - sitting at the fountain,free concerts in August--it's endless.

Iriss deVocht

I visited California 2 years ago. You should vistit Monterey Bay Aquarium, 17 miles-drive, Chinatown, Santa Monica Beach (they record Baywatch overthere)
If you want more information about hotels, restaurants,... just mail me.
I'll be happy to help you!!

Iriss deVocht

hi veronica,
this is Iriss from the last message, it was to tell you that my e-mail adress has changed. my new one is

[email protected]

Lee (Hong Kong)

My husband and I are planning to visit San Francisco early September. We have booked the Ritz Carlton in SF, then we want to visit Napa. We'll try to get a reservation in Auberge du Soleil. Is 1 night enough to see Napa ? Then if we rent a car and drive down to 17 mile drive which is the best place to stay (most exclusive). Coming from a cement jungle like Hong Kong we really look forward to see things like the coast , woods and wakening up to the sounds of birds.Any comments on the Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur? I understand Yosemite is very nice but how far to drive from SF and should we stay overnight and if so, where? We are in our mid 30's and heard so much about the good food and scenery in California.By the way,any one knows of car rental company in san Francisco that rents luxury car? Something like the BeverlyHills car Rental in LA. Want to rent a FAST car before we are too old to climb in, not to mention driving one...
Thanks,
Lee

ray seva

Hey Veronica--
It's Cali all the way, baby.
Why don't you have your people call MY people...and we'll do lunch.
Love ya, babe...gotta go.
Buh-bye.

Veronica d' Avila

Thank you once again for the answers. Iriss, when I arrive in LA I will stay in Santa Mônica. Do you have some hotels suggestion ? And hotels in San Francisco ? The guides have many hotels, for this reason I have difficulty in choosing. I want a pleasant hotel, not very expensive and located in a good area. Do you recommend some ? You talked to me about Monterey Bay Aquarium, I think should be cool to know the Bay of Monterey. The bay is one of the more diversified ecosystems of the world. Thelma, I adored yours suggestions. Lincoln Center ( Met, LC Theater, NY State Theater, Avery Fisher Hall ) is a excellent idea. Besides the Statue of Liberty and Empire State, I will visit South Street Seaport. Exist nautical crafts, historical buildings and exhibitions there, correct ? Battery Park City is a new public area, near river Hudson and has an esplanade along the river, that is a good place to appreciate the Statue of Liberty, correct ? City Hall Park and Park Row is a very interesting places and City Hall is a very beautiful building, with touches of French Renascence, I could know. Wall St. and Central Park, oh ! I will go certainly... Thanks for your attention. Ray Seva, thanx for your invitation, perhaps that is possible.

paciano diaz

I definitely agree with Amanda. All her
suggestion are great. If you get a chance, Pasadena is also a suggestion.

pgary

How about Northern and Central California? Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places in the world. And all four of the highway passes over the Sierra between Yosemite and Tahoe are spectacular. There are wonderful forests of the largest, most magnificent trees in the world in Sequoia National Park and on Highway 101 on the north coast of the state. Some of the best backpacking and day hiking can be found in the Sierra. Lassen National Park has some fascinating volcanic activity. Highway 49 in the foothills of the Sierra is rich with the history of the gold rush. San Francisco is a fascinating city, with great dayhiking in Marin County, north of the city, and in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the south. Highway 1, especially from Carmel to Big Sur, has spectacular views of the Pacific coastline.

There are numerous hostels in the state, but there isn't always one where you need one. However, you can camp most anywhere in the Sierra. Useful websites for hostels in the U.S.:

http://www.hostels.com/us.html
http://www.backpackers.ca/Listings/USA/default.htm
http://www.hostelweb.com/
www.hiayh.org/ushostel/usmap.htm

My favorite California hostels:
HI-Redwood Hostel in Northern California
HI-Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel, South of San Francisco (reserve far in advance)