Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic USA travel plans - ideas/tips/advice?

I grew up very near Grovetown, so I know exactly where that is! However, I can't think of too many great, touristy things to do in the Augusta area. But Atlanta has lots to do, and Savannah and Charleston are both lovely southern, coastal cities that would be a fairly easy drive from Grovetown, if you were interested.

Must second (or third or fourth!) the plug for Washington DC! It sounds like it would fit your interests to a T, and the Metro makes it a pretty easy place to get around.

Oooh! I'm in!

Caroline

St. Louis is known for it's bbq, and it's got the famous arch (highly claustrophobic, though!). Under the arch is the Museum of Westward Expansion with a fabulous exhibit on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but the Museum of Natural History (again, part of the Smithsonian in D.C.) had a fabulous exhibit on the expedition which can now be found online. By the way, the Museum of American History is currently closed for renovations, but is scheduled to reopen in Summer 2008, hopefully in time for your trip.

Notable Places in the USA (AKA Heaven on Earth but with more crime):

NEW YORK

Good Points: Northern New York State hosts the beautiful Niagara Falls, a huge, awe-inspiring must-see, beautiful in any season. Also a short hop away from Canada for you hockey fans. NF also has a casino, a *really* low-priced gas-station/store run by the Senneca nation, and a couple museums (including one on modern art, IIRC).

New York City, of Frank Sinatra song fame, of course has all the bright lights and tall buildings, including the Empire State Building (sans giant ape) and DC Comics head quarters. There's also a whole bunch of other stuff. *EVERYTHING* is in NYC.

Bad Points: Keep an eye on your wallet in NYC. Also, unless you're used to watching thousands of large-screen televisions at once, you may spend the first few days with your eyes glued to the sidewalk.

The City of Niagara Falls is, alas, very empty at the moment, but there is still an active tourist industry.

Philadelphia

Good Points: Our nation's first capitol and the birthplace of the revolution, Philly is brimming with history. Museums, statues, and fountains are everywhere. Also, Philly is noted for being the vessel by which God gave us Hoagies, Cheese-steaks, and Soft Pretzels.

Bad Points: Crime, graffiti, and the fact that few people born in Philadelphia manage to escape. Oh, and most of the people who make the hoagies are now living in...

Florida

Good points: Fun! Sun! Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and even a theme park based on African animals and *beer*! You name it, we have a theme park for it. Also beaches; lots and lots of beaches. Of course, the crown of the state is Sarasota, a city built by art-loving circus people! (I kid you not, see the Ringling Art museum and watch the movie about John and Mable Ringling). Whereas South Florida is much like Yankee land (only sunnier and more up-beat); North Florida has all the rustic charm of Dixie, with cotton-covered country-side, Southern hospitality and people who say 'Ah' instead of 'I'.
Also, Florida is a *wonderful* place to be in winter.

Bad Points: Any time other than February, though, it's just *really*, *really* HOT. Also, be wary of the South American menace known as FIRE ANTS. These bugs are *not* your typical, happy-go-lucky ants. They have red heads & bodies and black bottoms, and they are on a mission to destroy humanity. Fire-ants bite *and* sting, the result being something that hurts like----Michigan. They have also been known to gang up on people. If you look around the ground virtually *anywhere*, you may see cones of sand/dirt with a hole going down the center, or a *HONKIN' BIG PILE* of dirt/sand with so many holes it looks like swiss cheese.
That's them.

Keep your feet *covered*, or else wear something that will not impede the need to immediately wash your feet with a hose.
Also, we get mosquitos the size of B47s.

California

Good Points: .... Wait, gimme a minute.... Okay. Full House was filmed there.

Bad Points: California is the place where we keep our crazy people. A few normals may have gotten mixed in either through employment issues or just sheer accident, but mostly it is a very large asylum which borders on being its own country. Approximately 90% percent of California's population suffers from the delusion that they are brilliant actors who will be discovered and put in movies someday. Avoid this place at all costs.

Also, California oranges are woefully inferior to Florida oranges.
And we have better theme parks.

Florida rocks.

United States Cuisine:
Regional dishes in the US include Chinese Food, Itallian Food, Mexican Food, Tex-Mex, and Hamburgers.

What else do you expect from a nation that was founded and built by foreigners?

Of course, if you want to shoot for 'Classic Americana', you may try Cracker Barrel. CB is a combination restaurant/store that serves southernish dishes and has cool old-timey American things on the walls like 1900's advertisements for this new-fangled thing called "detergent".

I think the folks in Boston would take issue with that statement.

ETA: Not all of California is a brainless wasteland. If you're going to be in/near San Francisco, take a drive north over the Golden Gate into Marin County. Visit the Marin Headlands, go see the Muir Woods and, if you have enough time, take a drive up to Point Reyes. It's absolutely gorgeous.

Or head south and drive along the Big Sur coast. It's also gorgeous.

Sue (born in CALIFORNIA!)

I double QotC's opinion on Cracker Barrel. And they are *almost everywhere* (according to their map, "more than 530 locations in 41 States"), except in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Wyoming, Maine, Vermont, Hawaii, and Alaska. The states that have more CBs are on the East Coast. Here's the website: www.crackerbarrel.com

malu

I really want to see Mt. Rushmore too. Someday over the rainbow, I hope. I've been to Seattle. I have an infatuation with big cities and sky scrapers, so I loved Seattle, San Francisco too.



I've also been to Vegas, and *that* was quite an experience. I suppose the fact that I was on my honeymoon might have had something to do with it, but I loved Vegas. And if you want to see the Grand Canyon, I recommend taking a trip by helicopter--expensive but totally worth it. We actually got to fly into the Grand Canyon, and then we landed on a ranch for a barbeque. They also had horse back riding, although my husband and I didn't do that. The whole trip to the Grand Canyon and back took about half of a day. It was amazing.

Me too! I was just talking to my husband the other day about going back to Vegas next year, only this time, as a group. I'm dying to see that place again.

I'll stop my rambling now. I hope you have an awesome vacation!

Wow, even more responses. You guys are just fountains of information! I always think that it's best to get the info from the people who live there. If any of you ever want to know about New Zealand, feel free to ask.

Sue, I LOVE the Big Sur coastline. I have been to the States once before, but we only went to California. I like crazy people. I loved all of the coastline between LA and San Diego. Gorgeous. Absolutely spectacular. I especially liked the sea elephants.

~Anna.

It is pretty far away from everything else, so probably not in your plans, but I figured I'd let you know if you wanted to come up here and needed somewhere to stay and/or someone to show you around I'd be happy to oblige. It's definitely an amazing place.

Jessi

Jessi, I am so tempted to go to Alaska, just because of the gorgeous scenery that I've seen in pictures. I want to see it up close!

At this point...we'll see. If I did come, I might just take you up on your offer!

~Anna.

Quote:
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United States Cuisine:
Regional dishes in the US include Chinese Food, Itallian Food, Mexican Food, Tex-Mex, and Hamburgers.

What else do you expect from a nation that was founded and built by foreigners?

-------------------------------------------------------

I agree completely with the description above, but remember that we also have Kansas City barbecue, Memphis barbecue, North Carolina barbecue, Texas barbecue (all different); Chicago-style pizza, St. Louis-style pizza, New York-style pizza; Maryland crab cakes, Philly (Philadelphia) cheesesteak sandwiches, and Southern fried chicken. Anyone care to add to the list?

(And I know I've heard of St. Louis style barbecue, but as someone who grew up there, I think of it as a place for incredible Italian food and German-style food with beer.)

Ooh - if you stop in Boston you have to do the Duck Tour! I was downtown yesterday & reminded of how fun it was when I saw the boats all over town! It's great fun - especially for a kid at heart

http://www.bostonducktours.com/

Oh - and in terms of cuisine, don't forget the seafood! New England Clam Chowder, Maine Lobster, fried clams, fried shrimp, fried anything, really....

And I'm throwing in Texas, though I see it's already been mentioned, because well... I just love it. If you're into nightlife and live music, Austin is great. It's the live music capital of the world, I believe. There's the riverwalk in San Antonio which is also an extremely fun activity. And the Alamo is interesting, if you like history things. It's one of those things that every person in Texas has seen like five times (in my case, many, many more). Anyway, wherever you go, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time!

Laura

I agree. It's really funny because I spent my first three years there looking down at the tourists that quacked up on Newburry Street. Then when my family came up to visit me for graduation, they made me do it with them and I had a total blast. It's pretty pricey last time I checked (like 37~ dollars), but worth it.

alcyone

Ooh, that Duck Tour sounds like lots of fun! But it won't make me look like too much of a tourist, will it? Not that I won't be a tourist, I just don't want to stand out as one.

Mmm... All that food sounds so good. I love watching Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels and drooling over the food she's trying. I'm determined while over on the East Coast to try clam chowder and lobster. I know lobster might be a little expensive, but I'll splurge on it.

And all that pizza you mentioned... How did you know that pizza's my favourite fast food?

I'm looking forward to all of it. Any cusine. The weird and wonderful! I love Chinese, German specialities, the lot!

And Laura, the Alamo sounds like fun. I may just have to add that to my list of maybes...

Ooh, I love travelling and seeing and trying new things. I can't wait until next year!

~Anna.

It is.

....

Maybe that's why most Americans are so fat?

Don't worry about looking like a tourist on the Duck Tour - there's always a good mix of people involved. I've been on it as a college student with visiting family, on a first date, and at one or two other random times over the years. It is pretty pricey (I may have only paid for myself once, come to think of it ) - but it's truly fun. The boats all have different names, and the tourguides are pretty entertaining! Money well spent, I'd say

I'm so excited for you for your trip - it sounds like you're bound to have a great time!

I guess you'll have to count me in as one of the "few normals". I don't live in the LA area, so maybe it's a lot different there, but I don't know any actors - or even wannabe actors. I assume that Mary's post was joking in her comments...

Let me second Groobie's recommendation for San Diego. I lived there for 6 years and absolutely loved it. You can't go wrong with a visit there - even if you've already been there. Go again!

Kathy

Nah-ah honey, rum is from the Caribbean. If you're not an island, you totally don't count.



alcyone

I'm just going to go out on a limb and guess that QotC works for the Florida Tourist Bureau.

And that she's never had chocolate from anywhere in Europe. There's such a huge difference between that creamy perfection and the waxy stuff that Hershey's produces.

I know I have a Galaxy bar around here somewhere...

Back on topic - if you do actually go to Florida, don't miss St. Augustine. I thought it was absolutely awesome.

I agree that Florida is a wonderful place to be in the winter. Not that that helps Anna much.

St. Augustine is lovely, but it's like Laura with the Alamo - I've been there probably once for every year of my life so I'm a little numb to it's charms. But if you're going to be in the area, email me. (I live in Jacksonville, 40 minutes north.)

Wouldn't it be cool just to tour the North American continent and stop to visit FoLCs along the way? I know where a good number of you live and goodness you could see most of the US and parts of Canada that way!

Lisa (who wonders if she says 'Ah' instead of 'I'. Probably.)