USA for 4 months
Jan 22nd, 2002, 07:51 AM
#21
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Hi Bianca,
Thought i'd throw my two cents in with a quirky suggestion for New York that you probably won't find in a guide book. My husband and I spent our first anniversary at Pollywogg Holler and found it to be quirky rustic fun, combined with luxurious hospitality.
It's a log cabin bed & breakfast village in the woods a couple of hours before you reach Niagra Falls, in Belmont, New York. At the forest entrance, you put your bags in a wheel barrow and push your things through a wild and funny half mile outdoor art gallery of sorts, and follow the music past the rushing stream to the main lodge. The owners are of the great-big-bear-hug-hospitality-sort, and your first trip is like coming home for the holidays. I'd describe it as upscale eco-camping. Our log cabin loft with feather mattress and stained glass windows with tiny balcony was a ladder's climb above the wonderful log-cabin sauna, which warmed our loft. The whole place is all built by the owners from reclaimed wood with artistic and ingenious details. Delicious meals are included in the lodge and if you're friendly, they're bound to crack open a couple bottles of their private stock of Pollywogg wine and start an impromtu jam session with handmade instruments.
Depending on your interest, budget and length of visit, you can customize the offerings and spend from $60 US, to $250 US a day.
Obviously, I wouldn't recommend such and unusual place for a two week visit to the U.S., but with four months, and since you'll be in the area, it might make for a really interesting stop-off between the heavily trafficked locations. See what you think at www.pollywoggholler.com
Best wishes, and have a marvelous time. (By the way, just saw a couple of Australia's native sons at the Houseman Theatre in Manhattan for my 30th birthday, at the "Puppetry of the P*nis" show. Bravo. Hilarious.)
Kara
Thought i'd throw my two cents in with a quirky suggestion for New York that you probably won't find in a guide book. My husband and I spent our first anniversary at Pollywogg Holler and found it to be quirky rustic fun, combined with luxurious hospitality.
It's a log cabin bed & breakfast village in the woods a couple of hours before you reach Niagra Falls, in Belmont, New York. At the forest entrance, you put your bags in a wheel barrow and push your things through a wild and funny half mile outdoor art gallery of sorts, and follow the music past the rushing stream to the main lodge. The owners are of the great-big-bear-hug-hospitality-sort, and your first trip is like coming home for the holidays. I'd describe it as upscale eco-camping. Our log cabin loft with feather mattress and stained glass windows with tiny balcony was a ladder's climb above the wonderful log-cabin sauna, which warmed our loft. The whole place is all built by the owners from reclaimed wood with artistic and ingenious details. Delicious meals are included in the lodge and if you're friendly, they're bound to crack open a couple bottles of their private stock of Pollywogg wine and start an impromtu jam session with handmade instruments.
Depending on your interest, budget and length of visit, you can customize the offerings and spend from $60 US, to $250 US a day.
Obviously, I wouldn't recommend such and unusual place for a two week visit to the U.S., but with four months, and since you'll be in the area, it might make for a really interesting stop-off between the heavily trafficked locations. See what you think at www.pollywoggholler.com
Best wishes, and have a marvelous time. (By the way, just saw a couple of Australia's native sons at the Houseman Theatre in Manhattan for my 30th birthday, at the "Puppetry of the P*nis" show. Bravo. Hilarious.)
Kara
Jan 22nd, 2002, 08:05 AM
#22
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Posts: n/a
I live in a suburb of Chicago and disagree with the person who said to skip the ride south to N.Orleans. This is a flat and farm studded landscape. All your other drives are fundamentally coastal. In April you won't see the miles and miles of corn and wheat, but you should not miss the American breadbasket that 99% of all tourists never see. There is tons out there to do on the way if you are not in a rush.
The Cohokia Mounds in Southern Illinois are just one if you are at all interested in American antiquity. And of course, you have to see the Mississipi at its wide and majestic passages. Coming from Australia, you know about space, but this space and horizons cover greens of every shade. It is one of the best agricultural areas in the world and you can see until tomorrow.
After the honeymoon is over, you will probably hear about/ see in person or in media American, coastal areas much easier and more frequenctly than you will ever see the Great Plains. It is the heart of America.
The Cohokia Mounds in Southern Illinois are just one if you are at all interested in American antiquity. And of course, you have to see the Mississipi at its wide and majestic passages. Coming from Australia, you know about space, but this space and horizons cover greens of every shade. It is one of the best agricultural areas in the world and you can see until tomorrow.
After the honeymoon is over, you will probably hear about/ see in person or in media American, coastal areas much easier and more frequenctly than you will ever see the Great Plains. It is the heart of America.
Feb 6th, 2002, 10:14 AM
#23
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Bianca,
Definitely try to visit Boston on your way to Niagara, and maybe even parts of Vermont. Boston is an awesome city - very cosmopolitan but very European as well. I've lived here for 12 years, and I absolutely love the city. It's small, easy to get around, and has wonderful historical resources, top notch museums, and fabulous architecture. I may be biased, but I've done a lot of traveling, and Boston is still my favorite! Vermont is also beautiful in the summer as well, and it would be on your way to Niagara from Massachusetts. Have fun! I'm jealous!
Definitely try to visit Boston on your way to Niagara, and maybe even parts of Vermont. Boston is an awesome city - very cosmopolitan but very European as well. I've lived here for 12 years, and I absolutely love the city. It's small, easy to get around, and has wonderful historical resources, top notch museums, and fabulous architecture. I may be biased, but I've done a lot of traveling, and Boston is still my favorite! Vermont is also beautiful in the summer as well, and it would be on your way to Niagara from Massachusetts. Have fun! I'm jealous!
Feb 6th, 2002, 03:22 PM
#24
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I agree with the poster a little while back who suggested Niagara on the Lake rather than Niagara Falls. It's on the Canadian side and very close to the Falls, not even 1/2 hour away. It's a quaint little town with shops, nice restaurants and grand hotels. Much nicer than tackier Niagara Falls.
Feb 6th, 2002, 04:41 PM
#25
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Hi Bianca, well let me know what you'd like advice on for Los Angeles and we can help you out.
For entertainment go to www.laweekly.com
Since you are going to be hitting LA at the end of your trip, you should get here by Julyish,,, you can enjoy an open air music concert at the Hollywood Bowl for as little as $1.00 pp, pack a pic nic dinner and some wine and it's very romantic!
Another fun thing to do is to go to Sunset Ranch and take a dinner horsebac ride over the Hollywood hills into the San Fernando valley at Sunset, then you stop and have dinner at a Mexican restaurant and return viewing all of the lights from the top of the Hollywood Hills to the Pacific Ocean. Feel free to email me directly if would like further info. We have met and greeted several Fodorites into Los Angeles.
For the record Australia is one of my favorite places in the whole world, I spent over a month there and absolutely fell in love. My husband has yet to go so it's on our list! Welcome to LA and the USA!!! I hope your wedding is wonderful!
For entertainment go to www.laweekly.com
Since you are going to be hitting LA at the end of your trip, you should get here by Julyish,,, you can enjoy an open air music concert at the Hollywood Bowl for as little as $1.00 pp, pack a pic nic dinner and some wine and it's very romantic!
Another fun thing to do is to go to Sunset Ranch and take a dinner horsebac ride over the Hollywood hills into the San Fernando valley at Sunset, then you stop and have dinner at a Mexican restaurant and return viewing all of the lights from the top of the Hollywood Hills to the Pacific Ocean. Feel free to email me directly if would like further info. We have met and greeted several Fodorites into Los Angeles.
For the record Australia is one of my favorite places in the whole world, I spent over a month there and absolutely fell in love. My husband has yet to go so it's on our list! Welcome to LA and the USA!!! I hope your wedding is wonderful!
