Overview
From sea to shining sea, the United States is a
place of contrasting dreams: the immense grandeur of its national
parks, its long and winding highways, its soaring cityscapes and a vast
of array of cultural icons.
Travelling to the United States is both a
fantastic voyage to a land of make believe, and an exploration of a
country full of natural wonders. It is also a whole lot of fun.
America is the land of Mark Twain, Stephen
Spielberg and Homer Simpson, of Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and
Madonna. It manages to contain the urban energy of New York City and
the new-age eccentricity of California, the industry of the north and
the charm of the south.
Whether cruising coast to coast along Route 66,
trekking through the Grand Canyon, or clinging to a San Francisco cable
car, travelling in America is above all an adventure.
Best Time to Visit
There are obvious seasons in most parts of the
United States, both in the sense of the climate changes and the
popularity of the tourist destinations.
Los Angeles and Las Vegas are sunny most of the
year, and Disneyland can get pretty busy during the summer peaks.
San Francisco gets chilly during winter
(December-February) but that's nothing compared to New York City, where
you can go ice skating in Central Park in January, or the Rockies,
which enjoy huge snowfalls.
Things To Do
Disneyland - the happiest place on earth
This is the original fantasy land for children of
all ages, and their kids. Uncle Walt's legends of the screen, Mickey,
Minnie, Donald and friends, come to life in a celebration of family
fun.
Since expansion in 2001, there is even more
entertainment, so it's worth planning to stay a little longer and make
the most of everything the theme parks and resort areas have to offer.
A first visit to Disneyland might seem a little
daunting. The trick is to just go for it. Throw yourself into old
classics like the original Pirates of the Caribbean and
Tarzan's Adventure for a warm up.
Then head to the science fiction wonder world of Tomorrowland and
Space Mountain - the fastest roller
coaster in the world.
One of the newer attractions, the Indiana
Jones Adventure, is the product of the work of 400
'Imagineers', and the fabulous imagination of Steven Spielberg.
Anticipation is built by taking you through an archaeological dig and
showing an old-style newsreel of the main gig - a rollicking ride with
lava pits, showers of whizzing arrows, splintering bridges and an
overwhelming rolling boulder chase. Get the front seats if you can.
Los Angeles
The city of Angels, also known as 'La La Land',
is America's centre of entertainment and Hollywood-style dreams. What
it may be missing in historical charm or sophistication, it makes up
for by being brash, self-confident and fun.
LA knows how to enjoy life. It's sunny most of the
year round and the boardwalks of Malibu, Santa Monica and
Venice Beach are perennial
favourites for body builders, fire eaters, jugglers, bikini-clad
guitar-playing rollerbladers, and sun-lovers of all shapes and sizes.
Hollywood has been home to the
world's first dream factories as well as superstars since the days of
Rudolph Valentino and Errol Flynn. It still has a slightly surreal
charm, even if some of the glamour is a little shop worn. In Hollywood
Hills, the stars' mansions and castles rest in the shadow of the famous
'Hollywood' sign - now carefully protected after being an irresistible
target for graffiti artists and depressed failed actors.
Just west of Hollywood, Beverly Hills sets
the standard for opulence and star presence. World famous Rodeo Drive
sparkles with designer labels. Street vendors hawk the latest 'Star
home maps' and bumping into Billy Crystal, George Clooney or Cindy
Crawford is not unheard of.
San Francisco
The beating heart of American counter-culture, and
the scene of recent dot.com booms and busts, San Francisco boasts a
stunning harbour setting.
The iconic Golden Gate Bridge frames the inner
harbour, where Alcatraz Island was once home to Al
Capone and 'Machine Gun' Kelly.
Hopping on a cable car for a
rollicking ride up and down the city's streets is a real Frisco
experience and some of the best fun public transport anywhere.
The tiny Haight-Ashbury district
was once the heart and soul of the beat generation and hippydom.
William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac carved out a new American dream
here, followed by Timothy Leary and his followers who tuned in, turned
on and dropped LSD (then legal) in a determined search for some
universal truth. Nowadays things are a little less cosmic but it is a
great place for strange and rare books, great old record
stores and funky fashion.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas' sin city reputation of high-rolling
crime has been transformed. Sure, it's still a little wild - that's the
way we like it - but it's now known as much for its perfect weather,
great shopping, top golf courses and decadent health resorts as it is
for its razzle-dazzle, high-rolling entertainment.
Caesar's Palace is classic
Vegas. Semi-clad Roman centurions and Cleopatra-style waitresses patrol
the gamers, wandering among giant staircases that lead nowhere, and
'living statues' in the forum.
Great shows have always been part of the
attraction. Cirque du Soleil's Mystere at Treasure
Island and 'O' at the Bellagio have
redefined live entertainment - theatrical, musical, acrobatic and magic.
Las Vegas may be one of the few cities in the
world where absolutely anyone can afford to have the kind of wedding
normally reserved for superstars. Little White Chapel has
seen Demi Moore and Bruce Willis tie the knot, and Michael Jordan and
Joan Collins get hitched (but not to each other). It also boasts 'The
One and Only 24 hour Drive-Up Wedding Window'. At the Graceland
Wedding Chapel, Elvis can give you away, be your best man or
serenade you, but he's not allowed to perform the ceremony, thank you
very much.
New York, New York
The big apple rivals any world city for its
history, its cultural, political and, of course, financial clout, and
its standing on the international stage.
They say you can tell the tourists in NYC -
they're the only ones looking up. That changed on 11 September 2001
when gruff New Yorkers craned their necks and peered skywards at
disaster raining down from the burning, crumbling World Trade
Centre.
New York City was always going to bounce back -
this is a city of survivors and winners, and of brassy attitude, with
so much to see and do in the home of the Statue of Liberty,
the Letterman Show, the Empire State Building,
Broadway and Yankee Stadium.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
houses two million pieces, including impressive collection of work by
Monet, Gauguin, Van Gough, Picasso and Warhol.
The extraordinary Central Park stands in
magnificent contrast to the opulence and overwhelming immensity of the
rest of sky-scraping Manhattan. Horse carriages or cycling are the best
ways to explore to park. Don't miss Strawberry Fields and the Imagine
Mosaic, dedicated to John Lennon and located near his home, where he
was shot in 1980.
The Chelsea Hotel is a New York
City mecca. Officially known as The Hotel Chelsea it has long been the
home to the crazed and the inspired. Mark Twain, Tennesee Williams,
William Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Andy Warhol and Dylan Thomas all
stayed and worked here.
Restaurants &
Bars
In Los Angeles,
food lovers can still remember the days when it was not considered
outrageous to fly to San Francisco for a decent meal. Then came
Wolfgang Puck, and the revolution began. After a brief infatuation with
bite-sized meals with super-sized side orders of attitude, LA dining
has redefined itself into a 'New American' blend of Hispanic, Asian and
home-grown favourites blended and presented with pizzaz.
Cafe Del Ray,
overlooking the water at Marina Del Ray, is one of LA's best, although
the menu changes with almost reckless abandon. The 340-strong wine list
and the harbourside seating that is opened to the ocean breezes in
summer make it a real California dining experience.
For star spotting while-you-eat,
try Beverly Hills' Japanese-Peruvian eatery Matsuhisa, The
Palm or The Ivy in West Hollywood or Spago
Beverly Hills.
Check out Whiskey A Go Go or the
infamous Viper Room
- although entry into LA's trendiest bars comes with a stiff cover
charge and their velvet ropes are patrolled by Schwarzenegger-strength
doormen.
Restaurant Gary Denko, perched on
Fisherman's Wharf in harbourside San Francisco, is the creme de la
creme of a city that has long regarded itself as a haven for refined
diners.
In the heart of the Haight-Ashbury district,
Thep Phanom combines flavours from both east and west into a
Thai dining favourite that has locals lining up outside the door. Book
in advance.
Harry Denton's Starlight Room on
the 21st floor of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel is the place for classy
1930s-style decor and sophisticated cocktails with a view to die for.
Later on, things get a little rowdier as the crowd dances up a storm.
Book a table to ensure a place to rest between bouts of burning up the
dance floor.
Fans of Sex in the City and Seinfeld
will not be surprised to hear that New
Yorkers dine out often. There are more restaurants per person
here than in any other US city, and anything is available. We've chosen
some of the more unique.
The Cowgirl Hall of Fame serves
up fried chicken and great margaritas in a rowdy, friendly atmosphere
and, as the name suggests, celebrates a different cowgirl every week.
Try Sunday brunch at Sylvia's Restaurant in
Harlem, which serves home-style southern cooking accompanied by live
gospel music.
Katz's is the most famous
Jewish deli on the Lower East Side. The World War Two vintage sign
above the counter reads 'Send a salami to your boy in the army'.
A classic SoHo bar is Fanelli's,
an 1876 pub with heavy bark wooden floors and tables out the back that
serve up great food.
Smoke is a favourite among local
jazz fans for the mellow, chilled atmosphere and live tunes from 10pm.
Getting Around
Train
The railway network may have opened up much of
the United States a century ago, but it is not as extensive as what may
be required nowadays. Many cities are not served by Amtrak, the
principal carrier.
But in certain areas, such as the Pacific coast
and the north-eastern states, there are some great ticket deals and the
trains are generally much more comfortable than buses (see below).
Sleeping carriages are more expensive but usually include all your
meals.
Book well in advance and make sure to reserve a
seat before you arrive - all seats are allocated and some services,
especially between cities on the eastern seaboard, can be booked solid.
Bus
Buses are a good option for the budget-conscious,
being the most economical form of transport for many destinations.
Greyhound and others have regular services to most parts of the United
States. Some are less frequent than others so it's worth getting a
schedule and planning ahead.
Also, long trips can be uncomfortable and some
bus stations are not places you want to be looking for, or leaving
from, after dark.
Car
This could be the best option. Renting a car is a
straightforward and cost-effective way of seeing the country,
especially away from the cities. Much of rural United States is poorly
served by public transport and the sometimes vast distances between
destinations mean it is often either cheaper or much more convenient to
travel by air (see below) or car.
America has had an ongoing love affair with the
car, resulting in a massive network of highways and byways. Some, like
Route 66, are iconic. Others, like California's Route
One along the Pacific Coast from Los Angeles to San
Francisco, are stunningly beautiful.
Getting used to driving on the opposite side of
the road can be unnerving, and navigating traffic in the city centres
of New York and Chicago requires some nerve. But many cities,
especially those like Houston or Las Vegas that have developed through
the era of the motor vehicle, sprawl for miles, meaning the sites you
want to visit may be some distance from where you are staying.
Pre-booked fly-drive holidays -
are usually much better value than picking up a rental once you arrive.
Air
On some routes, flying is not much more expensive
than the train or bus and, of course, much quicker.
Take care though to plan ahead, as some routes
can fill up very quickly (especially during holiday periods) and
sometimes fares can be unexpectedly high. Talk to a Flight Centre
consultant about your options.
Airports
Depending on where you are headed, you are most
likely to touch down in Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York City.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is 17
miles (27.35km) south-west of the city and Santa Monica is its closest
stylish neighbourhood.
From LAX there are shuttle companies running 24
hours a day including SuperShuttle and fares start at around US$15 to
Santa Monica.
A taxi to the Westside will cost upwards of US$20
plus tip and take about 20 minutes. It will be about US$40-plus and
about 45 minutes to Hollywood.
LA's Metro rail service and public bus services
both service LAX and are cheap, but slow.
San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport is 14 miles
(22.5km) south of central San Francisco; travel time ranges from 20-40
minutes.
The new rail service BART (the Bay Area Rapid
Transportation service, leaves from the international terminal and
costs around US$6 one way.
Supershuttle services cost US$17 for one and US$8
for additional passengers.
New York City
Most international flights leave from and arrive
at John F Kennedy Airport (JFK), 15 miles (24.14km) from mid-town
Manhattan. Domestic flights often leave from La Guardia Airport, 8
miles (12.9km) from Manhattan.
Buses leave from both airports every 30 minutes
and take about an hour to get downtown.
Money
The official currency of the United States is the
dollar. The dollar bills ($1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100) are all the
same size and colour, so check them carefully.
Coins are usually referred to by their name: a
penny (one cent), a nickel (5 cents), a dime (10 cents) or a quarter
(25 cents).
Credit cards are widely used are often required
by hotels and car rental agencies.
Prices may not include local sales taxes, which
maybe up to 10 per cent. Tipping is expected - 10 to 20 per cent for
waitresses, bartenders and taxi drivers; $3-5 for hotel porters.
Travel Tips
It's a good idea to always carry some coins
(especially quarters) for vending machines, train tickets and pay
phones, and one dollar bills for tips.
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