Hi everyone,

I am travelling to US for the first time in my life this summer and am very excited for that.
But it appears (at least this is what i feel now) US is not so user-friendly for tourists as Europe, may be because it too big
I arrive to NY on July 24th and flying back home on August 16th from Los Angeles, so I have around three weeks to explore as much as I can. I've been doing a research, but since i have several questions decided to write in a post. My initial plan is to visit NY, LA, SF, Las Vegas and Grand Canyon. I think its doable for this period, but I wanted to know if you recommend to plan the trip myself or u better take a tour, since i see there are a lot of tour agencies offering LA-SF, or LA-LV. And if yes, which tour agency would you recommend?
Also I would very much appreciate if you could recommend where to stay in all these cities, particularly in NY, LA and SF. NY is too expensive and the budget hotels are quite bad it seems. The Same problem with LA, i was looking for a shared apartment or a studio and couldnt find anything.

Any advice would really really help!

thanks beforehand

How do you plan to get from city to city?

I really prefer to do my own planning v. having some tour agency determine where they get the best deals for parking a group of tourists.

Think you have time to do a lot - say a week in NYC and then fly out for two weeks here on the "left" coast.

But be aware - California alone is longer than Italy (around 800 miles to Italy's 700+) and 1.4 times as big

Just one quick comment - >>i was looking for a shared apartment or a studio and couldnt find anything.

"US is not so user-friendly for tourists as Europe, may be because it too big" - sad, but true.

DebitNM asks the most important question. Obviously you must fly from NY to LA or SF. What transport are you planning after that?

One thing that's more user friendly in the US compared to Europe is language. The US is often criticized because we are almost exclusively English speaking. This will be of benefit to you, since you speak that too.

For NYC hotels what is your budget and how many people? If 2 can they share one double bed?

At least you are not here in fall/early winter - the high season. Prices should be reasonable when you are here (as reasonable as NYC ever gets except in January).

There are some reliable budget hotels - and even a couple with the european practice of shared baths - which can save money. But you do need to be careful - since some "budget hotels" are either places where the city puts up homeless people or ladies of the evening rent rooms by the hour.

You might want to consider the Hostelling International on the upper west side. A bed/locker in a shared room is $40 to $45 per night - so perhaps $90 for 2 (way less than any hotel). It's well reviewed, large with some tour organized there and in a good area near Columbia University.

I never stayed at the NYC HI Hostel but in general they are good safe places with a kitchen to save money making your own breakfast instead of going out all the time. https://www.hihostels.com/?linkid=98...FatxQgod9TEA1g
With 3 weeks you do have the time to take a train trip one way across the country IMO. Flying to Las Vegas and renting a car from there to go to the Grand Canyon is the best option.

Just be aware that trains across the US are both SLOW and EXPENSIVE. NYC to LA costs $437 for a seat - not a berth - and takes 43 hours if on time - probably closer to 50 hours. With a berth the price is more than $900 up to $1200 - probably twice the cost of an advance purchase plane fare.

But it appears (at least this is what i feel now) US is not so user-friendly for tourists as Europe, may be because it too big

In what way, specifically, do you think that is true? Certainly, getting around is going to be a bit more problematic, given the distances involved - NYC to Las Vegas is as far as London to Tel Aviv.

I wanted to know if you recommend to plan the trip myself or u better take a tour, since i see there are a lot of tour agencies offering LA-SF, or LA-LV. And if yes, which tour agency would you recommend?

I would plan it myself. To minimize your backtracking, I would start in NYC > Fly to Vegas > Rent a car or take a tour to the Grand Canyon from Vegas > Fly from Vegas to SF > Fly from SF to LA. I would think all of those flights should be relatively affordable.

Also I would very much appreciate if you could recommend where to stay in all these cities, particularly in NY, LA and SF. NY is too expensive and the budget hotels are quite bad it seems. The Same problem with LA, i was looking for a shared apartment or a studio and couldnt find anything.

It would help to know what you are willing to pay. New York is expensive (SF can be too), but most of the downtown LA hotels are under $200 per night in the week leading up to your departure. You should also bear in mind that US hotel ratings are generally more harsh than European ratings, such that a 3-star in Europe would typically rate as a 2-star in the US. Also bear in mind that LA is very spread out, so I wouldn't worry too much about staying somewhere "central". I presume, also, that you will rent a car while in LA?

With 3 weeks you do have the time to take a train trip one way across the country IMO.

She has the time. I wouldn't do it, but she has the time. As noted above, taking the train from New York to Las Vegas would be like taking the train from London to Tel Aviv.

I assume you will arrive New York, then fly out to either San Francisco or Los Angeles?

Will you rent a car once you are on the west coast?

Agree with travelgourmet except for the part about flying from SF to LA or vice versa. If the OP is willing to rent a car, taking 3-4 days driving Highway 1 is one of the most beautiful drives in the US.

Spend 4 or 5 days in NYC. Fly to Las Vegas, see the GC. Then do a loop thru California by rental car. Fly out of LA or SF, depending what you want to see and where the best flight options are for you. Tours using buses are not allowed to go along the Big Sur portion of the coast highway, so doing it yourself is a much better option.

Here is a link to a great trip report that may be helpful to you in planning.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...lden-state.cfm

thanks everyone for your replies.

Yes I am planning to fly from NY to LA, and then was thinking to take a bus tour from LA to Vegas and GC. SF seems not so far driving so I would prefer to drive rather then take another plane.
I am not considering staying at hostels to be honest, my budget would be between 100-120 USD per night. But I am afraid it will not be an easy task to find hotels with that price?
Did any of you have any experience of renting a flat through airbnb.com?

Yes I am planning to fly from NY to LA, and then was thinking to take a bus tour from LA to Vegas and GC. SF seems not so far driving so I would prefer to drive rather then take another plane.

I honestly think that adds hassle and time. I would still recommend flying from NYC to Vegas directly. I can't imagine what the bus tour ex-LA would do for you. If you wanted to do a tour to GC, it would best be done from Vegas.

I am not considering staying at hostels to be honest, my budget would be between 100-120 USD per night. But I am afraid it will not be an easy task to find hotels with that price?

You very well may be able to get something decent (not great, but decent - something like the Luxor) for half that price in Vegas. In LA, you might be able to find something for that price. For LA, maybe look by the airport or maybe Culver City. I wouldn't normally recommend it, but you will be getting in the car all the time anyway in LA, and the hotels there aren't far from Venice. My wife stays there for work and it isn't that bad. SF will be a little tougher and you want to pay more attention to location.

Did any of you have any experience of renting a flat through airbnb.com?

Bear in mind that airbnb is illegal in New York.

Short term apt sublets are illegal in NYC _ the ones that aren;t scams (this is fairly frequent). And $100 to $120 per night is really not a price - unless you come in the depths of winter.

You might look at Long Island City - which is only a few subway stops from Manhattan. This is a mixed use areas (warehouses and autobody shops along with budget motels) and not a lot of services such as restaurants - but it is safe and if you can find a place near the subway you can be in Manhattan quickly. But I would check immediately - and think the prices will still be more than you want to pay.

Most everywhere except for Manhattan your hotel budget is fine. In fact in summer in Las Vegas they almost give rooms away. Your budget is too low in NYC - but if you average it out (like $60 or less in LV - and $200-ish in NYC) your overall budget is probably OK.

A bus tour from LA really doesn't make as much sense as touring from Las Vegas. You can likely get a cheap flight to LV (check Southwest airlines - they often have summer sales).

You can likely get a cheap flight to LV (check Southwest airlines - they often have summer sales).

From NYC, I would look first at JetBlue, as they fly nonstop from NYC (as do Delta, United, and Virgin America). With Southwest, you would have to connect and I'm not sure you would save that much money on what is a pretty competitive route.

thank you !
travelgourmet when you say airbnb is illegal -does this mean I can fined if i book a flat through them? there is a couple of good options there.

thanks

travelgourmet when you say airbnb is illegal -does this mean I can fined if i book a flat through them?

nytraveler likely knows more on the topic than I do.

My guess - it is a guess - is that you aren't really at risk of a fine (more likely the owner would be fined), but you should note that you would be renting from someone either unaware of the law or who is flouting it deliberately. Up to you to decide what that might say about what kind of person you are dealing with. Personally, I think the law is nothing more than political grandstanding, but we've taken threads off-track with that discussion, so I will leave it at that.