travelling across the US where are the 'musts'

[katri]

Me and a friend are seriously thinking about travelling across the US for about 6-8 months, so the question I have for you guys is where are the places we have to visit? We will definately be going to NYC and Austin as I have we have family in the respective places.

Thanks in advance

[Relic]

New Jersey :^), no really, it's not the cruddy state that people make it out to be, there are a lot of cool things to see here, then there's the proximity to Philadelphia and NYC.

But if you're asking about things to see in general, there's no shortage. It ultimately depends on how much you can realistically afford. The Grand Canyon would be a must, try a few nights in Vegas as well.

EDIT - also check out Laurent's (Chilipepper's) thread as he's planning something shorter albeit similar:
Road Trip ( New Orleans- New York )

[Gard]

New Orleans is a must, if you make it to the west coast at all, San Francisco and the whole coast south to Monterey are amazing, there are some amazing views all along the Appalachians and Blue Ridge mountains in VA and NC....

[MJ5150]

Seattle, Washington.

-Mike

[Jared Lash]

Bear in mind that few people who have lived their entire life in the US have been to every state, even just the lower 48.

And it really depends on what you want to see. Historical sites? Big cities? The outdoors?

I'm biased toward the West Coast (SoCal, SF, wine country, Tahoe, Arizona, Oregon, Washington) but I've enjoyed my time in nearly every state I've been to - which at last count was 44 of them.

[tplyons]

NYC of course, Philadelphia if you're interested in our nation's history, Washington DC for the same reasons. Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas.

Off the top of my head.

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by Gard

New Orleans is a must, if you make it to the west coast at all, San Francisco and the whole coast south to Monterey are amazing, there are some amazing views all along the Appalachians and Blue Ridge mountains in VA and NC....

Gard, you and I must have crossed paths once or twice. That list is exactly what I was going to write.

In San Francisco, be sure to spend time in "The Mission". It's the best neighborhood in SF.

[kanonfodr]

Can you tell us what you would like to see? Granted there is America as a whole, but not everyone's out for the Vegas Nightclub experience while others don't care much to meet the Amish.

Having said that, I can guarantee that there is plenty of things alone in and around Austin to keep you busy no matter what your tastes. I'm sure if you clue us in on what your hobbies/likes are we could help you even further.

Peace,
Greg

[Joe Gress]

Drive though the Rockies, and a desert.

[crayzee]

No offense to anyone who lives there, but you can totally bypass Wichita, Kansas. Not much goin' on there.

[dangnewt]

I really enjoyed Memphis - I only saw Beale Street and Graceland so I need to go back for the Civil Rights Museum and the Gibson factory.

On a non-musical note:
The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone live up to the hype - they must be seen to be believed. The Everglades have a subtler beauty (just don't go in the summer!). San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC and New York (which you wisely already put on your itinerary) are my favorite cities not located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Six to eight months is a long time, you should be able to see a lot. Enjoy.

[Blueszilla]

I've been to all the places I'll mention, and there are tons more if you like the outdoors.

The Grand Canyon is a must. Maybe Canyonlands national park in Utah, way cool. Big Sur, and Yosemite in California, Yellowstone in Wyoming, and the Rocky Mountains, which extend from Canada to New Mexico. Santa Fe is an interesting town, as is San Francisco, Austin, Seattle, Atlanta, New Orleans, Memphis, etc.. Plenty more I'm sure.

One good way is to travel Interstate 40 from North Carolina to California. You get a good sense of what America is like. It's a great road trip that I've been fortunate enough to have traveled twice in my life.

Good luck and safe journies.

Here is a link to the interstates in the US.

http://www.onlineatlas.us/interstate-highways.htm

[bassybill]

Lots of good stuff to see in the US, but the size of the place tends to make it a bit spread out. Also, for European visitors used to walking into places that may go back a thousand years or more, some of the American ideas about history can seem a little new-fangled.

My own personal must-sees (having only visited NE and SW, pretty much missing out the middle and very much a tourist):

NYC (you're doing that)
Niagara Falls (do it while you're in NYC)
San Francisco
Vegas
Grand Canyon
Yosemite
Death Valley
Los Angeles (but see above comment about stuff being spread out)

[Phalex]

Try to see either Lake Tahoe, or Crater lake. There's just something about the mountain air that adds clarity to your vision. They really do like like the pictures!

[EricF]

These have all pretty much been mentioned, but here's what I'd include if I had that much time to see the country...
- NYC
- Niagra Falls
- Washington DC
- New Orleans
- Austin
- Grand Canyon (TX to AZ through the painted deserts of New Mexico)
- Vegas, baby!
- Los Angeles
- Along the CA coast from San Luis Obispo to Santa Cruz
- San Francisco
- Lake Tahoe (or Crater Lake)
- Seattle
- Mt. Rushmore
- Chicago

[Rusty Chainsaw]

On the logistical side, in order to enter the US via the VWP (visa waiver program) you can only stay for a maximum of 90 days. You can apply for a tourist visa via the US embassy in London that will let you stay up to 180 days, but that requires paperwork, proof of funds and so on.

Theoretically, you could stay the 90 days, go up to Canada for a couple of days, then re-enter the US for another 90-day visit on VWP, but, although legal, it might appear a bit suspect to the immigration people who might send you home.

[katri]

really I would love to see some historical sites and after a long conversation we decided today that it will be closer to 4-5 months. My friend wants to see the big citys which I am cool with. The annoying thing is that over here it is 18 to drink alcohol so neither of us will be old enough to drink .
At the moment I am thinking in no order as my US geography is not the best (just yet)
NYC
Boston
Austin
San antonio
San Fransisco
Chicago
Washington DC
New Orleans

I would have included vegas if I were older

[Rusty Chainsaw]

Originally Posted by katri

really I would love to see some historical sites and after a long conversation we decided today that it will be closer to 4-5 months. My friend wants to see the big citys which I am cool with. The annoying thing is that over here it is 18 to drink alcohol so neither of us will be old enough to drink .
At the moment I am thinking in no order as my US geography is not the best (just yet)
NYC
Boston
Austin
San antonio
San Fransisco
Chicago
Washington DC
New Orleans

I would have included vegas if I were older

If you're under 25, you might have problems hiring a car - everything is so widely spaced apart in the US, and public transport in most places is still in the stone age, so a car will be essential to get around. You'll probably get by in NYC, Boston, SF, DC and Chicago since they have reasonably good public transport, but anywhere else, forget it. Even in those cities, you'll be restricted to where the public transport can take you. If you want to actually explore a bit, a car is a must.

I also recommend adding some Canadian cities to your list of destinations - Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are all very cool cities with lots to do, and a slightly more European feel to the culture (the Queen on the money, British English spellings, etc).

[kanonfodr]

That list would properly read:
Boston
NYC
Washington DC
Chicago
N'awlins
Austin/San Antonio (they're close enough to be interchangeable)
Happy-Town

That leaves plenty of opportunities to see all the cool stuff in between those places. What time of the year are you planning on going? Once again, more info is better. Most of us should know our own neck of the woods pretty well to say what will be a good thing around us during a particular season (TX highways during Bluebonnet season, for example)

Peace,
Greg

[katri]

So they won't rent a car to an under 25? We were talking about saving up and buying a car when we get there and sell it before we leave, that's not massively realistic though.