Emma

We need your expert advice on which part of the US we should focus on for our 10 days visit in early November. We plan to pick up a car and drive around and explore,but we're not sure which area to choose. We want great scenery and interesting sites.We've visited the national parks:Arches,Monument Valley,Death valley,Grand Canyon and Yosemite before and we absolutely loved it.We're definately up for a similar experience this time around,but we're open for suggestions.

Phil

Sounds like you have enough sense to avoid Disney, so you're way ahead!

If you like the vast expanses of the west, you might want to try Montana, the Dakotas, or even Minnesota.

On the other hand, New England is a much smaller area, but really has a lot to offer, with the Berkshire Mountains, the Atlantic coast, Boston, etc., etc.

chris

I would recommend New Orleans to a European as it's probably as close to Europe as anything in the U.S. Also, San Francisco and Chicago each have alot of character and nightlife. Northern California and Oregon/Washington have beautiful, rocky coastline if that's your thing. Also, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado feature the U.S.'s oldest residential structures in the American Indian ruins (Chaco Canyon,NM; Mesa Verde,CO; and Canyon DeChelly, AZ). All of them are striking.

Cindy

If I had to recommend just one place you haven't been, I'd say San Francisco. Ten days is a good amount of time, and you'll have a car to get away from the city. The city is unique and lovely, of course, with plenty of varied things to do, but Carmel and thereabouts are awesome, not to mention Sonoma. Have fun!

Cal

I would recommend the California coast from San Diego to San Francisco. The weather should still be pretty nice in November. I would stay a few days in San Diego and a few in San Francisco. San Francisco si a good base for exploring other areas nearby such as Napa Valley, and the northern coast. I would drive up hwy 1 through the big sur with maybe a day or two in the Monterey/Carmel area.

Emma

Thanks everybody! I think I forgot to mention that we actually visited San Francisco and Napa Valley on our last visit. We really liked it and are considering going bacl again,but I think we'd prefer to explore something new this time.

Sam

I suggest one of two alternatives to the Western Regions that you have already visited.
November may be a little late in the year for a New England trip but I would second this as a great place to visit. Start in Boston then travel to Maine, Bar Harbor area (Acadia). Then across Vermont to upstate New York. The Thousand Island region is, in my opinion the most beautiful region in North America.

Another nice trip is to start in New Orleans and travel East through Mississippi and Alabama to Florida. Then South to the Sarasota area, across central Florida to the East Coast and Cape Canaveral, St. Augustine etc.
Don't let the anti-Disney snobs influence you. There are plenty of natural attractions in Central Florida besides the parks. Besides, a day at a theme park can be lots of fun.

howard

Emma, I'm not sure what the weather is like in November, but you might consider the area north of San Francisco on up through the states of Oregon and Washington, ending at Olympic National Park. The coastline and sites north of San Francisco are magnificent!

Charles

Normally I would recommend Boston and New England, but at that time of year the weather can be a little iffy. THough I confess I've never been there, perhaps someone could comment of how Seattle and Oregon are around then? And for a place I have been - New Mexico, especially Santa Fe, is very nice. SImilar sorts of things to Arizona, where you've been, but still sufficiently different.

Also, New York city is interesting in any weather, as is Boston, for that matter.

Lori

Early Nov. can mean bad weather in some places or even snow so you might want to give some thought to that. A place to consider is the Southwest - Arizona and New Mexico have some beautiful scenery and unless winter comes early there should be no snow in the mountains yet. The CA coast is also a good bet, but it will be cool. Oregon and Washington coastal areas are lovely, but I'm not so sure about Nov. - don't think I'd go then!

John

Emma,
The Rockies or other scenic areas would be great except the weather in early November is likely to be unpredictable (read, cold, snowy, or not - do you feel lucky?) and short daylight will limit sightseeing. You've been to the red rock country and California, so let me suggest something more urban. Lots more urban. Start in New York for 3 or 4 days, then train to Washington DC for 2 or 3 more. Pick up a car in DC and drive over a couple of days (or one 9- or 10-hour shot) to Charleston, South Carolina. There are plenty of side trips available en route, which you can take or leave off, depending on your tastes and the weather and road conditions. Charleston is a gem - history, architecture, food, affordable, good excursions...You can look at "open jaw" air ticketing, or do a train or shuttle flight back to NYC for the flight home (which is, incidentally, where?)

Another very fine November destination given all your preferences would be the Big Island of Hawaii. Lovely people, great sightseeing, the Parket Ranch, black sand beaches, great hotels, cute villages, the odd active volcano, what's not to like?

John

That's Parker Ranch. Doh!

howard

Some additional thoughts: I'm from the Northeast and think it's one of the most beautiful parts of this country. However, I wouldn't recommend the area for a November visit. Better you should save it for a spring or early fall trip, especially the latter, when the foliage is in full array.

Melanie

Have you visited Zion National Park in Utah, Emma? We went during the first week of November several years ago and it was fantastic. You can also do Bryce's and Capitol Reef, or visit more of the Four Corners area, which is my personal favorite. Northern Arizona is spectacular and full of sites other than the Grand Canyon (Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Wuptaki, Montezuma's Castle, Walnut Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, Sedona) as is Northern New Mexico (Santa Fe, Taos, Chimayo) and Southern Colorado (Mesa Verde, Durango, Hovenweep).

Many Europeans seem to enjoy driving all or parts of old Route 66 as well, which would actually take you all the way from Chicago to Santa Monica with lots of fun sites and stops along the way. We've done it in bits and pieces and always seem to encounter Europeans on the road.

sally

washington d.c. is a nice place to visit i think. that and nyc would be doable, plus maybe the maryland coast or the shanandoah mtns in virginia. or if you get far enough down the east coast, charleston and savannah are great!!! especially since you've already been west.

Christie

I recommend visiting Texas! Europeans are generally quite enamored of our western heritage, and both Fort Worth and San Antonio are very unique cities with a lot to see and do. For more info, check out: www.traveltex.com

jenna

I definitely agree with Sally that the East Coast is a good idea. Washington and NYC are both great, and, in my opinion, both are mustsees for anyone coming to the US.

John

Another thought. There seems to be a shortage of politics junkies in Fodorland (or else, wisely, they keep their opinions under control, US forum excepted.) HOWEVER, let the record show that if you're in the US on Nov. 7th, that's the national election day, and you'll be able, if interested, to watch the US presidential election get decided. Actually, if you're in a hotel room that night, you won't be able to escape the TV coverage. For visitors who take an interest in such things, it can be quite an interesting experience.

And if you're in Washington DC on the 8th, you'll be able to witness thousands and thousands of people either relaxing for the first time in months, or else starting to update their resumes.

nancy

I have lived in southern Vermont for 30 yrs. and as a prior poster said, it is a beautiful part of the country.
But in November, it will be cool, if not cold, windy, and very stark (no leaves left on trees)
November is one of the bleaker months to be here, except maybe March, when "cabin fever" sets in.
How about the mountains in the Carolinas?
It might still be warm and pretty leaves on the trees.
Nancy

Pam

I would concur with the Utah/4 Corners suggestion made above: Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands are awesome, although I don't know the weather in Nov. I do know weather in Western Washington/Oregon in November - mild but little to no sun. Skyline drive through the Shenandoah Nat Park in VA is supposed to be great and their foliage season is October/November I believe. That's what I would pick, personally: a southeast trip from D.C. to maybe Charleston, South Carolina, including the barrier islands off the Carolinas (never been) or further south if you are ambitious.