Visiting US

[PensivesWetness]

Visit Me! Visit Me!





....unless the Ike is out doing work-ups at the time yer in NC/VA region...

btw, WHY are you starting in NC? Hicks and Marines live there, dear...

[fluffmonster]

Can't say anything about LA, but San Diego is very cool. From there you might be able to take a brief wander into Mexico, and you simply must try a fish taco. San Diego also arguably has the best zoo in the developed world.

You must visit somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Many suggestions have been offered, I'll add Glacier National Park in Montana.

I'd recommend at least a brief stay in a Mississippi river town. St. Louis is definitely a contender, maybe Memphis if you have any interest in country or bluegrass music. Vicksburg, Mississippi has a lot of cool civil war stuff, but then you would have to go to the state of Mississippi. Note: the river north of St. Louis is completely culturally different from the river south.

I'd usually suggest visiting the Gulf Coast, but it'll be hell in August.

[dergon darkhelm]

Got two and a half months free in the US later this year (August-October) and really just looking for things that people would suggest doing (no plans at the moment, other than starting from NC and flying out of LA and need to get up to NYC at some stage to visit a friend). Any must-dos while over there?

My current rough thoughts are travelling north from NC up to New York, then across past the great lakes, maybe popping across the boarder to that waterfall, then continue across to the Pacfic, and down the coast to LA. Long time 'til I really have to have any solid plan, so really just gathering ideas at this stage.

The northern drive across the US is a fabulous opportunity to see lots of great wonders. Departing from NYC in high summer by car I would come West to Niagra Falls (since it's on your list) but I wouldn't spend the night in Niagra unless you like casino gambling .......except for the falls themselves Niagra is a burnt out shithole.

Then you head West on I-90 where you will meet Dergon in Cleveland Ohio and attend a traditional american Tailgate party for a Cleveland Browns game or perhaps a clam bake, both Ohio standards.

Moving Westward the next day or two into Chicago, Illinois. That's where you'll go to Wrigley Field to see the Chicago Cubs play baseball (and probably lose ) ......also a quintessential American experience. Chicago is also a good place to eat, drink, shop etc.

Then the rough couple of days..............the planes ...you have about a thousand miles of boredom to contend with for this part of your drive. If you picked up marijuana in Chicago it'll make the two 12 hour driving days ahead of you on 1-80 go a lot more quicky. But surviving that part you'll arrive in some of the most beautiful places on earth.

See the Badlands, then Grand Tetons and Yellowstone ...all national parks that should not be missed. This will take a week or so. You can camp or stay in nearby hotels.

Now it's maybe early/mid September of your trip so I say dive south along the Rocky Mountains. There are great rural roads that run through mountain passes that will take you through Colorado and then down into Utah. Maybe see Moab Utah and Canyonlands National park ....beautiful Red Rock formations and the like.

____

Then head West to Las Vegas/ Even if you don't gamble....GO there anyway!!

A couple days in Vegas to see shows, shop, watch strippers or what have you and then South.

See the Hoover dam and the Grand Canyon.

Then West to California where I will let the locals take over your itinerary, although I love San Francisco and Wine Country and would also recommend Yosemite National Park.

Enjoy!!!

[darrenhfx]

Arg, you're travelling too far west for me to be of any help. Do have a good trip though.

Dergon, why are people in Ohio eating clams? Surely not from the lake.

[Mulu]

Given that you're visiting in the fall, Vermont in Autumn is quite nice, though not a cheap place to go, and really more something you do with a ladyfriend. If you find yourself on the West coast at that time, Victoria British Columbia is also very nice for autumn colors. The sunbelt doesn't really do seasons well.

[dergon darkhelm]

Dergon, why are people in Ohio eating clams? Surely not from the lake.

"New England" Clam Bakes are exceedingly popular in the NorthEast Ohio/ Greater Cleveland area. I attend at least a few each Autumn.

There are a few theories to answer the "why Cleveland?" question. The one I like best is this.

Long before Ohio became a state in 1804, the northeast corner of the state belonged to the state of Connecticut. They called this territory their "Western Reserve" and the name as well as New England architecture, town squares, and customs can still be found throughout the area.......

Connecticut sent one of their surveyors, Moses Cleaveland, to the Western Reserve in 1796. Cleaveland charted the area at the mouth of the Conneaut and Cuyahoga rivers and founded a settlement that would become Cleveland Ohio...........

The Connecticut influence is still seen today in Northeast Ohio -- in architecture, such as the homes of Chardon, Hudson, and other eastern Cleveland suburbs; in town squares, such as in Burton, Medina, Chardon, and others; and in names like Cleveland's Case Western Reserve University.

Northeast Ohio is unique in the region for enjoying fall clambakes. Perhaps our Connecticut (Western Reserve) roots have something to do with it?

And no, darren, the clams do not come out of Lake Erie ...they are shipped in from the East Coast.

[Grand Fromage]

Dergon, why are people in Ohio eating clams? Surely not from the lake.

The lake's actually been cleaned up quite a bit from its old catching on fire days. You can eat fish out of it again.

[dergon darkhelm]

The lake's actually been cleaned up quite a bit from its old catching on fire days. You can eat fish out of it again.

Indeed!

But not shellfish ........unless you have a good recipe for Zebra Mussel Bouillabaisse

[HATEFACE]

67% of America is totally not creepy and messed up though. I bet those numbers are growing steadily as creepy and messed up becomes the social norm.

Anywho. Come to Minnesota ROtku BOUNDRY WATERS CANNYOOINGS! I WONT RAEP YUO!

[Rotku]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys!

[Lusipher]

Come by IL Im sure I can convince some Crips to welcome you to the state.

[Rotku]

Crips? You don't mean crisps? I'm obviously not up with the local jargon.

[FanaticusIncendi]

Rotku, if you're really into hiking and the outdoors I would say (and as a balance to all the western half parks/hikes) that the Appalachian Trail in Maine is not to be missed.

The trail stretches across 14 states from Georgia to Maine (people who hike the whole thing say "No pain, No Maine"). I've been all over the country and I would say the Maine portion is to me some of the most breath-taking surroundings you will experience in the US. It's also the most challenging part of the trail, definitely not for njubs, or noobs, or whatever you call them

My suggestion is to hike a portion of it in mid September, when you will be awash in a landscape of orange and red flame. The guide books will tell you it gets dangerous then but fsck that, it's only weather.

Oh and if the Maine part is too much for you, the New Hampshire and Vermont portions are really beautiful too. There's just something special about the Maine bits... they make you want to eat raw meat and howl at the moon.

[Rotku]

Ah, yes. I spend a while reading up on that the other day. Half a year to do the whole track... Really seemed quite daunting, just the share size. Just wish I had more time! But if you recommend Maine, I guess that certainly cuts down the size. I guess the key is probably to get a guide book, to get some idea on what sort of section is best.

[dergon darkhelm]

A lot of the southern part of the AT is drudgery.....and some of the southern parts are unsafe as well (especially where it skirts so close to Washington, DC).

Stay up north like FI says and do the northern terminus at Mount Katahdin (Maine) if you're gonna be up that way.