INFORMATION ON USA, REGARDING ATTRACTIONS OR ACCOMMODATIONS, WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. PLEASE SEND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IN ADDTITION, MAPS OR ANY SITES WOULD BE ALSO A GREAT ADVANTAGE.
THANK YOU

You are pretty vague as to where in the U.S. If you're into unique there is Yellowstone National Park (very surreal), lots of good hiking as well. As far as historical and beautiful you can't do any better than Charleston, South Carolina. Big City! How about Chicago with it's beautiful lake front, good shopping and the wonderful Science Museum.If you like movies then there's no where better than Los Angeles with it's TV and movie studios and a drive through Beverly Hills. Don't miss Balboa Island and take the little boat cruise. You will pass some of the most exlusive homes in the world.

Welcome to the USA! My wife and I have traveled extensively both in and outside the US, and have often discussed the question "what advice would we give to visitors to OUR country?" After my wife spent a year teaching overseas, she became very aware that guidebooks don't always tell you everything you want to know! If you are visiting and have less than six months for travel, you MUST make several decisions before you leave. Do you want the west coast or the east coast (you CAN'T see both in one trip, even with six weeks to try). Do you want scenery (Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountains); culture (New York, New Orleans, Charleston, Chicago); entertainment (Los Angeles, NY, Orlando); or history (Boston, Philadelphia, Virginia)? Do you want big city bustle, natural beauty, or relaxing away from crowds? Are you willing to camp in a tent? Before I could give you any meaningful advice, I would have to know the answers to all of the above questions. Feel free to e-mail me; I would LOVE to give advice on ANY topic you would like info on. Just ask anything specific!

Hello Paul
I intercepted a message you left re things to see and do in USA.
My wife and I intend visiting USA from Australia (Perth) in August this year. Because we will be there for around 14 weeks we will take a chance and purchase a car for approx. $600-$800 in preference to pay $150 a week for hire cars and hope that nothing major happens to the mechanics.
We will start in LA and as a rough itinery visit Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota (principally to visit historic places from the "wild west era".
We both like to bootscoot/linedance and both have an interest in the War Between the States.
From SD we will make our way to New Orleans, then Branson MO, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virgina,Tennessee, Maryland etc.
While in Richmond it may be economical to rent a place for about a month and operate from there. We would like to visit Boston, New York, Washington while we are close.
I know we are not really going to see everything, but 14 weeks is going to cost us quite a few oz dollars (the exchange rate is appalling at the moment).
Any assistance you can give me will be greatfully appreciated.
I am a regular visitor to Fodors travel lounge trying to pick up on some of the advice offered.
We will be on a budget so cheaper accomm (as long as it is safe and clean) will be sought.
The car situation will be interesting as I really don't know what to expect for the price range but "traderonline" has had some good prospects advertised.

If you can offer advice I will be eternally thankfull.

Regards
John Thompson

I really think it's going to be impossible to find a $600 to $800 car (in LA, no less) that would be able to make the kind of trip you described. You might want to rethink that a little. I would expect that you would have to pay at least $2000(US) for a used, reliable (Honda Civic or something). At least gas is fairly cheap at about $1 to $1.20 a gallon. Good luck.

You MUST re-think the car issue especially as you will be spending a great deal of time on roads that are "way out there" with no facilities.

In reference to the car, I assume you are calculating net out-of-pocket expense. You buy the car for $6000 at the beginning of the trip and sell it for $5400 at the end of the trip? This might be possible...a $600 differential.

Based on your interest in the Wild West (a fiction created by New York writers, but what the heck), our Civil War, and my preferences for the best of American, I would recommend this itinerary: Los Angeles (don't miss the Gene Autrey Museum or Universal Studios, if you like movie westerns) -> north up State Hiway 1 to Monterey -> San Francisco -> side trip to Redwoods -> Sacramento -> Yosemite (MUST see) -> Sequoia NP -> Las Vegas -> Grand Canyon (do NOT miss this site under any circumstances) -> Zion NP -> Salt Lake City -> Yellowstone (another must see) -> Cody, Wyoming (Buffalo Bill Museum) -> Black Hills (Deadwood is where Wild Bill Hickok lived and died) -> I-90 and I-29 to Kansas City, I-35 to Oklahoma City (Cowboy Hall of Fame and Museum) -> Branson -> New Orleans -> Vicksburg -> Shiloh Battlefield -> Nashville -> Chattanooga Battlefield -> Atlanta -> Charleston -> Richmond -> Washington -> Gettysburg (must see for Civil War buffs) -> Philadelphia -> New York City -> Boston. To those who ask why I skip Chicago and Amish country, I apologize -- I tried to fit it in but had to choose between the north or the south. Since the Civil War was a stated interest, I HAD to recommend the southern route.

Dear John:I have traveled with my family from mia.florida to Montana and many places between.Driving in the western U.S. is very different from the east.You will need a reliable car since distances between towns are great in Wyoming,Montana and other big western states.Dont miss the region near Bozeman(good central point),Livingstone(very scenic drives jost south)and Big Sky.Yellowston is not far(approx. 1-2 hrs.sw.)Little bighorn battlegrounds nearby(Custers last stand).Heading east Chicago is a must-great american food architecture,people.In Virginia see west-Shenandoah Valley,northern sections of the "Blue Ridge Parkway" aka "Skyline Drive"-many historica Civil War battlegrounds,quaint inns and some of the prettiest scenery in the states.

I agree with most other posters in the fact that you should definetly visit Chicago. Chicago is a great city, with a beautiful,stunning skyline, worldclass cuisine and accomadations, a lively nightlife with great theaters, and wonderful culturally diverse neighborhoods. Contrary to what many "Think," the weather is really not all that bad in Chicago, and in summer and spring exect lots of sunshine and warm, pleasant conditions. With a choice between L.A and Chicago, you should definetly see Chicago first. L.A just a vast basin of suburbs on top of suburbs and smog and freeways and a hectic, frantic, "me first" Lifestyle. I know it's your choice, but Hope To See You Soon in CHI Town!!

Would love to take you up on your offer. A friend and I,early 30's are planning 7 weeks in the US. 3 weeks in California/Las Vegas.Then flying to New Orleans and driving from there to New York. We're looking for a bit of both. Some action and fun in the big cities and a bit of real America as we drive up to New York. Would also like some info on Hotel Prices and Car Rental Costs. Looking to hire a Mustang Convert in California and a Mid size sedan in New Orleans.

Hope you can Help

Ken

Please Australians, recognize that this is another big, big country. You can hire cars in various areas of the country and fly from one area to another. I've been back and forth across the country several times in a car with my son from SF to Washington D.C. and would never want to try it in a $600 job. Recommend that you break the country into 3 parts: the west ie, CA, Nevada, Wyoming etc, the midwest, ie, Chicago etc., and the East ie, the Civil War battlefields and Washington D.C. And, shame on the Chicagoan who criticized LA---I've lived in both and there's much to be said for both. Let's not hear such stuff here.

Austrailian friends: I have lived and traveled just about everywhere in the west, native Californian, lived in Salt Lake City for 11 years. If you would like to get a little further off the beaten track in Utah, here is my recommendation: Go to Zion Natl Park and head out the east entrance (east on Hwy 9). If time, take side trip to Kodachrome Basin. North on Hwy. 89 toward Bryce Canyon, another not-to-be-missed. Then go east on Hwy. 12. You will see some of the most incredible scenery on earth. Very few people go this way and it is awesome!! Check out Calf Creek State Park. Hwy. 12 ends at Hwy. 24 in town of Torrey (don't blink). Then you are near Capitol Reef Natl Park. You will need a detailed map of Utah to find these highways, they are small. From there you can travel east to Durango, Colorado and see our Alps. Then on up to Wyoming. It's beautiful beyond words. Go out the east entrance to Yellowstone and stop in Cody, Wyoming to see Buffalo Bill Museum. Greatest collection of western art and the Winchester gun collection. Remember: southern Utah and Four Corners region is like your Outback -- desert. The best time to go in Spring and Fall. Summer temps are brutal. Carry extra water, perhaps a CB radio, a cell phone might work, food, etc., and DON'T pass up a gas station if you're less than half full. Might be a long way to the next one. Would also recommend buying a car short term rather than buying. You won't make it in a $800 car.
Hope you have a wonderful time. If you would like more info on the west, e mail me!

One more important piece of advice: Camping in the west is great, but National Parks can be crowded in summer and holidays. Big success hint: most travelers stay only 1 or 2 nights camping in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming parks. If you arrive early in the morning (by 9:00 am) you can grab a campsite within most parks. Also some parks have privately run campgrounds nearby. Not as nice, but will do in a pinch. Even better option are National Forest campgrounds. Usually not crowded unless it's a weekend. People in the west do like to get outdoors.