What are the Top 5 places for British to Vacation in the USA?
In order 1 being the best
5 being the worse.
Thanks
To improve my lifestyle I will be vacationing in the USA alot.
3 Responses
Joe C
25 Nov 2013
NOLA guy
25 Nov 2013
It depends on what you want, and the USA is geographically huge plus incredibly diverse in almost every way. The tourism wesbite is a good place to start:
http://www.discoveramerica.com/
Every state and every city of any size also has a tourism website.
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Citizens of about 35 countries can travel to the USA for up to 90 days at a time as a tourist or for some business purposes by registering for ESTA > before < their trip begins. The cost is US$14, which is similar to the fee for the Australian ETA program.
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/visaservices/?p=129
Registering is accomplished online, you don’t need the details of your trip, and the confirmation is valid for multiple trips to the USA over two (2) years so don’t wait until the last minute.
Print the confirmation – or at least record the number – and keep the information with your passport. Having a return or onward ticket leaving North America is a requirement, so have a copy of your airline itinerary at passport control.
Check with your health insurance to find out if it covers you in the USA and pays for medical evacuation to home (should that be necessary). If yes then take proof of coverage with you. If no or not sure then get trip medical insurance, which is cheap and sold by airlines & travel agents. The USA has wonderful medical care but it isn’t free or even cheap. Please do not skimp on this as an otherwise-silly accident could turn into a crisis if you don’t have medical insurance. This is a link from the US government, but the info is good for anyone traveling outside their home country:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1470.html
If you are planning a long visit then DON’T schedule your departure day for the 90th day (any part of a day in the USA counts as a whole day, so if you arrive at 23:59h on the 1st and leave at 00:01h on the 10th it is 10 days in the USA). Schedule your departure not later than the 88th day as there are no (zero) provisions in the Visa Waiver Program for someone to voluntarily extend their stay. If you miss your flight due to something Immigration might consider avoidable (ex. flat tire on the way to the airport) they may ban you from using the VWP in the future.
LJ
25 Nov 2013
New York
Miami
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
I can only think of 4 that Brits usually come here to visit.
I would recommend skipping L.A. and Vegas and going to Boston and San Francisco instead. Also, if you aren’t limited to the U.S., try Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto, as well!
Concentrate on California. There is so much to see in the state from the beaches to the mountains to the deserts. Lots of amusement parks, attractions, National Parks, and places to see before you die. If you want to get a flavor of the US, California has it all. You can spend many years here and not see everything.
http://www.visitcalifornia.com/
Head to San Diego and see the best zoo in the world. You can take the train to/from L.A. The Surf Line Route has been voted one of the most scenic rail routes in the country. It runs along the coast with the tracks just yards from the Pacific Ocean. The train also stops in Anaheim, just minutes from Disneyland.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer/AM_Route_C/1241245649505/1237405732511
Some must see attractions in San Diego are the world famous Zoo, Sea World, and Balboa Park. Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in the country. You can get a park passport which allows you entry to a dozen museums as well as the zoo.
http://www.balboapark.org/parkpass
Check out these sites for discount coupons and other info
http://www.sandiego.org/nav/Visitors
http://thebestplacesinsandiego.com/
Los Angeles has all the major tourist traps like Disneyland, Magic Mountain and Universal Studios, but try and take in some sights like the Getty Center. It has one of the largest art collections in the world and because of its large endowment, it’s free.
http://www.getty.edu/index.html
The American West is all about vast spaces and natural wonder and the National Park System has preserved them. California has several.
Yosemite is one of the most unique places on earth. It’s one of those places you must see before you die.
http://www.nps.gov/Yose/index.htm
If you want stunning vistas, Yosemite is the place. Glacier Point is breathtaking.
http://www.yosemitefun.com/glacier_point.htm
If you want to see big trees, there are groves of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite (they are the largest trees on earth, bigger then the redwoods)
San Franciso is one of the great cities of the world. Ride the Cable Cars to Fisherman’s Wharf, visit Coit Tower, see the Golden Gate.
http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/
On the central coast there is Hearst Castle.
http://www.hearstcastle.org/
Here is a suggested itinerary
Start in San Diego – it’s a must see and there are tons of things to do. After a few days, take the train to LA or Disneyland. Head up to the Central Coast by car on US 101 past Santa Barbara. Go to San Simeon and spend the night. The next morning, tour Hearst Castle. After lunch, continue up the coast on CA 1 to Big Sur and the Monterey Peninsula. Stay the night and the next day visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium then ride along 17 mile drive in Carmel. From there, head to SF. If you have the time, go to Yosemite. If you can’t drive, fly from LA / San Diego to San Francisco. You can get day tours by bus to Yosemite from SF.