Boston is most certainly not a daytrip from nyc, but it is only 200 miles away and one could easily catch a train up there from nyc and spend a couple of days there, and in a similar fashion, they could visit DC from nyc (I've taken the train from nyc to dc and it only takes a few hours). But you are certainly correct, it is not a daytrip.

Having travelled extensively in the US you should concentrate on one part of it.One of the best tours you can initially make would be the following :
-Fly to LA hire car drive to San Diego-then to Phoenix-Flagstaff(via Sedona)-G.Canyon-via Lake POWELL to Bryce canyon-then Zion Nat.park-further to L.Vegas-then through the Death valley to Yosemite via Tioga pass(when it's open)-then on to S.Francisco-Monterrey (Carmel)-Santa Barbara and back to LA and home.It's doable in 15 days but you will only see a glimpse of everything.We did a similar tour in 1997 but took 26 days. Greetings from Belgium.PAul

You all have given me a lot of things to think about.
I have read the answers so far, and now I am going to print and translate them for my husband.
I understand that we are going to visit only a very small portion of the USA... but I expect that it only will make us to wish an opportunity to come back
I will surely need more help with probable itineraries, distances and so on... but it is a good start.
Of course, if you have any question about Spain or Portugal, don't doubt to ask me. Email me at the address in my profile.
Many many thanks.

I live in a Midwest/Great Lakes state and i would either confine myself to the East coast or the West coast.

When you visit will determine where you should consider going.
In winter the northern states are quite cold and snowy as are some of the western states with high altitudes.

The southern states are very hot and humid in summer. Or in the desert, just flaming hot.

Can you let us know what time of year you're thinking of visiting.

Also, summer months at the major parks or places like the ocean on the eastern shore are sooooo crowded in the summer months.

We would be travelling at summer, probably on July.
By the way, although we come from northern Spain (mild temperatures and quite rainy), we are presently living at an area with very hot summer temperatures (I don't know how much in Farenheit degrees... but we reach often 40 degrees).

Welcome, Filloa. I skimmed through the wonderful replies and agree that you should pick a region. But what are you hoping to see? Large cities? Huge mountians and national parks? The ocean? The heart of democracy (Washington DC)? Perhaps if you let us know more detail we might be able to help out with greater detail.

Since you are coming in the summer, the Northeast or the West Coast (always mild) would be your best bets.

For Filloa about "New England" states:

I'll compare the states "back east" to being more like Europe, in that they are small and you can easily get from one to the other (where the states out west are HUGE like Texas or California).

My suggestion would be to include Massachusetts, and Vermont or New Hampshire. It is incredibly beautiful country-side. And only a few hours away from NYC by car or train. There are some large cities (Boston is in Massachusetts for example) but much of it is rural, particularly once you get further north to Vermont and New Hampshire. Beautiful mountains, rolling hills, farmlands, covered bridges, country-roads, streams, lakes. It's truly spectacular in my opinion. July would be a lovely time to visit.

suerte, suze

You might be interested in this report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...nses=8&start=0

We have been reading all the interesting advice you have given, and then doing some research through the web and we have a better idea of what we want to do (more or less).
-Stay at NY our first days (perhaps 4-5 nights). Since we are arriving there from our country, we would feel really strange if our USA travel didn't include such a city.
-Fly to Las Vegas (2 nights?). It seems to us that is a kind of adult theme park and there is nothing similar in our country.
-Hire a car in Las Vegas and drive to Arizona. Well, of course, do Grand Cannyon. And then some other locations in Arizona (Petrified Desert?, perhaps Canyon de Chelly) or going up to Southern Utah (we have been looking at beautiful pictures of Zion and Bryce Canyon) or going east to Mesa Verde, in Colorado... We would have 5 days, more or less.
-Going to Phoenix (1-2 nights?) and fly back to NY to come back home.

We have thought that we prefer this option to New England one (which seemed more logical from NY), because we are from "green Spain", and although we love forest and greenery, we have a lot of that at our native region. And because we wanted to live Grand Canyon experience, of course.

Do you think it is doable?
Many thanks.

Absolutely! I think it sounds like a wonderful trip.

I can understand that the desert, Grand Canyon, etc. will be more dramatic for you to see, than the rolling hills and countryside in New England which may be more similar to your home.

Hello Filloa,

Your plan sounds very good. I don't think you need to spend any time in Phoenix, however; it's better to spend that time in the beautiful canyon country.

To avoid disapppointment at the Grand Canyon, you should make your reservations for lodging there as soon as possible. They still have a good selection of rooms available in July.

www.xanterra.com

If you go to the South Rim, I suggest you choose between El Tovar Hotel and Bright Angel Lodge. Both are right on the rim, and some rooms have canyon views. El Tovar is larger, an old historic hotel. Bright Angel is more rustic, and much less expensive; some rooms have ensuite W/C but bath/shower down the hall.

If you choose to go to the North Rim (closer to Utah), there is only one lodge; it is quite nice.

If you hire your car in Las Vegas you should plan on driving a loop and returning it there to avoid a large "drop" fee.

Plan sounds great except I would second the advice about skipping Phoenix. Go to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon and the other national parks and plan your "loop" so that you return to LV at the end.

I'm sure you are aware that Las Vegas in the summer is HOT HOT HOT (wasn't that a Buster Pointdexter song?).

Have fun planning.

It does sound like a wonderful trip you are planning. The Grand Canyon is amazing.

In addition to the note above about making your reservations early for the Grand Canyon, I would also advise you to do the same for Mesa Verde if you want to stay there. And, I would say to stay there overnight at the lodge if you can. It was lovely to have the quiet in the evening after most of the daytrippers are gone, the restaurant there is very good, and we loved getting up and walking about at sunrise as well.

Sorry about misusing day trip above for going to DC and Boston. I didn't really mean go there, tour around and come back same day. I meant that they aren't as far to travel to, so are easily reachable from NYC. Of course you wouldn't really want to go there and back in one day as a tourist! I wasn't clear at all, sorry!

Filloa:

Just a rough draft of what to do in two weeks.

Fly MAD/LAX round trip flight about $763.00 US see below link

http://digbig.com/4pffd

3 days in LA
1 day drive to Las vegas spend 2 nites
1 day drive to Grand Canyon spend 2 nites
Drive to Bryce Canyon/ Capitol Reef area
1 nites
drive towards San Francisco in a myriad of directions spend 2 nights along the way.
San Francisco spend 3 nights

Drive back to Los Angeles for flight back to Madrid and save the rest of the US for a return trip

Aloha!

40 degrees C is 104 F.

Your plan of NYC, Las Vegas, and the Southwest's magnificent scenery is excellent. You will have to balance the rental car's drop-off fee against the benefits of not being confined to a circular itinerary, as Las Vegas to Phoenix (or Santa Fe) may be more interesting than returning to Las Vegas.

Be aware of the heat you will encounter in the Southwest at that time of year. I remember tolerating being in Seville with the temperature in excess of 42, but we were not outside for hours at a time. You will probably find NYC more oppressive if there is a heat wave when you arrive, as the Southwest is dry while the humidity saturates the air in NYC in the summer.

In any case, keep us informed of your needs for more information as you make more plans. We are here to help!

Filioa, if you visit the Grand Canyon, check into white water rafting on the Colorado River. I have no advice to offer or companies to check into, but I would love to do it.

A great trip... Fly t Phoenix/Scottsdale and rent a car then go to - Sedona- Grand Canyon- Las Vegas-Los Angeles/Manhattan Beach- San Diego.

Have a ball planning. Don't forget to check out the Destinations section right here on Fodors. There is lots of good info.

I agree about skipping Phoenix.

As for whitewater rafting in the Grand Canyon, you'd have to block out 3 to 5 days to do that, and it requires overnight camping. It's a separate trip in itself and requires advance booking.

You can take one-day "float" trips down the river but not into the whitewater part. That might suit your needs better.

I like Hawaiiantravelers suggestion.

Except I might fly into Los Angeles and out of San Francisco, to save some driving? Although if you have the extra time, the Pacific Coast Highway is amazing.