Hi,

I hope you have a great trip to the U.S. I saw the comment about the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and while you can buy a membership there, it's not necessary since the entrance cost is a "suggested" donation of $12, meaning you can pay less (or more) to get in. When I was a poor student, I used to go for $1.

You might consider buying the NYC City Pass, which is good for a week, and gives you entrance to the "must do" sights of New York (Empire State Building, Guggenheim, MoMa, Statue of Liberty) for a lower price. Also, if you want to go to the Statue of Liberty, you need to reserve your spot well ahead of time online, otherwise, you can't go in to the statue (no one is allowed in the crown anymore).

Since I live in NYC, some other suggestions, since you have some time to spare: check out the cathedrals/churchs around town (St. Thomas, St. Bart's, St. John the Divine). Take a walk around the resevoir in Central Park. Attend a free concert in the Park. Take the Staten Island ferry (free!). Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan at sunset. Visit Prospect Park in Brooklyn and/or Brighton Beach/Coney Island. See a Mets or Yankees game (Mets games can be cheap). Do a wine tour on the South or North Forks of Long Island. Take a daytrip to visit Philadelphia, a short (1.5 hour) busride from Manhattan. If your friend is interested in history, touring the sights there for a day will be a great for American history.

I live in Chicago and although I love it I don't think it is essential given the other cities on your list. Chicago is especially strong in modern architecture and museums, but you'll see plenty of that elsewhere. All of your city stops are museum rich--even Vegas has an outpost of the Hermitage! In L.A. I highly recommend the Getty Center in Brentwood, as much for the setting and views as for the collection. Also consider a drive out to Pasadena to see the Huntington Library and Gardens.

In NYC, if you are interested in American Art don't miss the Whitney Museum, which isn't too far from the Metropolitan. Another great museum in the same general neighborhood is the Guggenheim, which has an unusual snail shaped design by Frank Lloyd Wright. I'd also recommond the trip to Ellis Island, which tells the story of 19th century immigration to the U.S., and also gets you out onto the water, which can be a nice break when in New York. The trip will take up most of a day, however.

Since Jenolen and I posted at the same time, I wanted to add that the trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are normally done at the same time, though you can do the statue and skip Ellis Island if you wish. Going inside the Statue of Liberty is a bit claustrophoic in my opinion, but obviously many think it is a must-do.

As for Jenolen's suggestion that you take a side trip to Philadelphia, I have mixed feelings. There are great things in Philly but the main Colonial American history sites are similar to what you will see in Boston.

Thanks jenolen and chaucerquest, I've taken down your suggestions. I still have a lot of work to do on the NYC itinery.

There is so much to see in the DC area that five days hardly does it justice. Can second Annapolis - beautiful city. Add all the free Smithsonian museums/monuments, The White House, Mount Vernon/Alexandria, Harper's Ferry, WVa (little further out but worth a day's trip if you have wheels, you'll hardly have time to rest. Georgetown is a fun place to visit and eat, but I'd also go to Adam's Morgan.

Speckles,
I grew up on the East coast (Boston, New York), and we always returned to school after Labor Day, at the beginning of September. I now live on the West Coast, and we begin school in the middle of August. It is the same in Phoenix and, I believe, Las Vegas. I hope this helps.
As far as your travel plans go, those are all great cities with plenty to see and do! Washington DC needs AT LEAST three days--it's a wonderful city. Boston is absolutely beautiful! It will be a wonderful trip.

Too bad you're not able to spend anytime in the middle of the US, e.g St Louis, Kansas City, lots of interesting things in those & other areas. Maybe "next time".

As far as school hols go, kids are out generally from late May/early June to mid-August/early Sept. The school year's 9 mo, with occasional days off + 10-14 days at Christmas. I like the European-style system w/longer breaks & year-round school.

Hope you have a great visit!

Most kids are back to school by the end of August. Many school sports like football begin practices by mid-August.

GREAT TRIP! You are right - can't see everything.

Must sees (besides the usual):

Los Angeles - Getty Center CANNOT be missed. If I lived there I would take my Sunday paper up there every week and have coffee with my news. If you are lucky the air will be clear from a rain (Yea right - in August!) and you will see for miles. This is the epitome of how architecture can move the soul. Spend some time up and down the coast on the Pacific Coast Highway - Newport (see Rogers Gardens and South Coast Plaza), Malibu, etc.

Boston - Cape Cod. Beautiful old America feel (get off the freeway) and Provincetown is fun (but only if gay doesn't bother you). Shopping on Newbury Street.

Las Vegas - any Cirque du Soleil show (particularly "O" or "Love" if you like the Beatles: worth every big dollar you will spend. I like the floor in the Venetian entrance. Good restaurants if you go beyond the quick casino cafes and bars.

DC - don't miss Arlington Cemetery. Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers is amazing. The Federal monuments are particularly beautiful at night.

NYC - The harbor tour is a must do starting point, even if you don't do the Statue. Do the Empire State Building at night for the lights - Warning! it is pretty tacky but cool when you are up top looking at the city. Philadelphia is a great day trip (as suggested by another). The restaurants in NY are amazing - I love Molyvos near Carnegie Hall. It is impossible to run out of things to do there, and if all else fails - shop!

What a great time you will have. . .

Another suggestion. While in Vegas take the airplane tour of the Grand Canyon. Will only take a couple of hours and you fly fairly low over Hoover Dam and the Canyon. The quickest way to see a spectacular area. And your friend won't feel she has wasted "city" time.

Something no one else has mentioned is that Americans are SO charmed by Australians. Even though Americans are not as tourist-oriented in general as the citizens of Europe, for example, a few words from you in your special accents will have everyone dying to help you out, no matter where you are visiting. Americans have a large reservoir of good will towards Australians, from World War II, through Crocodile Dundee, to the present moment.
I hope you enjoy your trip.

San Francisco is a beautiful and sophisticated city. And... Grand Canyon a big dirthole in the ground? You've got to be kidding!

It depends on what state and city you live in. Most schools end at the start of June to mid June and they begin school late August some even early September.

San Francisco is somewhere between NYC and a European city in its feel. It's too bad you're missing it. I wouldn't dismiss it altogether as it seems you like Europe. Sydney is more like LA. SF has the charming feel rather that the developed clean Sydney.

We live in Nelson New Zealand and visited SF in April only spent 3 1/2 days there and fell in love with the place. We plan on going back and spending a lot more time there next time. In saying that we love Sydney also so if you live in Sydney you may think the two places are similar. However I think you would be very pleasantly surprised if you visited there. It's much more compact than Sydney.

By the way we didn't come across any unsavoury characters but had been warned about them by people who had also visited SF many years ago.

We also flew across country and spent four days in New York. One of the great places to see art is the Frick collection. You will have a great time exploring New York with the time you have allocated to there.

We also stayed just outside Washington DC in Columbia Maryland for a week but only spent two days actually visiting the city. We stepped inside a couple of Smithonsian museum's but they were so big and crowded, (spring break) that we spent only a couple of hours in each. We just didn't have time to do them justice. We did a day trip to Harpers Ferry which was excellent, and also a day trip to Annapolis.

In the Summer.

I just finished laughing at the "unsavoury characters" in San Francisco remark.

Hi Speckles,

We've just returned to Sydney via Honolulu (great way to go). Had an xlnt time in Colorado and California.
I think you're mad not to go to SFO - its easily the most civilised city on the planet - and I've lived in a fair few including Europe for 6 years. San Francisco wins hands down. I'd swap Sydney any day.

HOT! It will be hot everywhere you go in August! ~30-35C (~80-95F).

While in NYC, instead of going up the Empire State Building, go up to the observation deck of Rockefeller Center, then you can SEE the Empire State Building. And if you time it right, go around sundown so you can see the city in the daytime and stay long enough to view it at night as well. Beautiful!!

ROFLMAO = rolling on floor laughing my arse off.

In boston, we enjoyed the hop on/hop off tour buses (the orange and green I think are best). You travel a pre-designated route, but can get off at any stop you want to visit, then get back on the next trolley that comes by. I recommend to ride the full circuit once, then get off at the various stops you want to visit at length.

Enjoy the US!!

What? The Metropolitan raised its suggested entry to $20 in 2006. I always feel very uncomfortable, since no longer a student, in paying less than the suggested. That $20 will cover the Cloisters as well, if you go on the same day.

Sydney like LA? Gotta be kidding me. Maybe in the sense of the sprawl, and the slightly chilly downtown. But the Eastern suburbs? the northern beaches? the Rocks?