First trip overseas - USA

LChrissy213 on 28/07/2015 - 12:15
Last edited 28/07/2015 - 12:46

Hi,

I'm planning on going to the USA for my honeymoon in April 2016. Looking at going for 3 weeks to LA, New York and possibly Las Vegas. Just missed on the the cheap flights today.

I was hoping to fly Qantas. What price should I try to hang out for on flights? There is an American expo coming up in Melbourne and my local Flight Centre is also having this in store. Am I likely to get cheap flights here?

Is it better to book through a travel agent or should I just organize it myself?

Does anyone have any suggestions on how long to spend in each city, what sites to visit, ways to do it on the cheap?

Never been overseas before, so it's a bit daunting!

Thanks for any help!

Travel

Comments

      • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:58

        Do you normally just book your flights yourself?
        Was going to go to the flight centre America expo to see what flight offers they have.

        • SimbaGirl on 29/07/2015 - 21:30
          +1

          Yes, we always book the flights ourselves, we got ripped off by a travel agent about 7 years ago and have never used one since. We fly with Virgin Australia between Perth and LA, and usually use Southwest for the US domestic sectors. I just book directly through each airline's website - that's where the 28 Degrees card comes in handy as I use that when I book the Southwest flights to avoid any currency conversion fees.

        • ilikeradiohead on 31/07/2015 - 04:38

          Yeah I book everything myself, never got ripped off though haha. +1 for Southwest too, haven't flown with then but those baggage fees add up, I'd prob minus $30 from their fare to get a true comparison.

  • IdBuyThat4aDollar on 29/07/2015 - 11:44
    +4

    With Vegas hotels, if you book one of the famous ones, get a basic room. Then when you check in slip the guy a $20 bill with your credit card, and ask if there's any complimentary upgrades available. This is called The $20 Trick.

    I felt wierd doing it, but it worked for me at Caesars Palace!

    • branners on 29/07/2015 - 20:49
      +3

      I second this plan, Neos. I tried it last time I was in Vegas and it worked like a charm. For US$20, we stayed in a suite the size of a medium house, after we booked a room for $75! Sounds dodgy, but isn't. One of the great travel tips!

      • nuchalis on 31/07/2015 - 09:08

        Upgrade aside, can you say what hotel? (PM if you want!)

        I'm just after a decent $75 room, and I'm confused by the sheer amount of choice, unsure where to start! (every other time I've been to Vegas we stayed far out of town, but not this time!)

        • branners on 31/07/2015 - 14:36
          +1

          I have stayed at a few hotels, but if you are on a tight budget, I recommend the Luxor, on the south end of The Strip. Not the newest building or the shiniest facilities, but that's just fine with me. Plus, it is next to the Mandalay Bay, so if you feel the need to recharge with some 'fancy', it's is only a few metres away…
          The $20 trick works fine there, the suites are in the back building, but staying in the 'pyramid' can be a little noisy.

        • nuchalis on 31/07/2015 - 16:29

          @branners: Thanks! Sounds perfect :)

  • IdBuyThat4aDollar on 29/07/2015 - 11:49
    +3

    Also with LA, I highly recommend getting a car. I didn't enjoy LA until I hired a car and was able to just drive around where ever.

    I was hesitant at first to consider getting a rental because of LHD vehicles, but ended up getting one to go to disneyland and later vegas…best decision I made. You get used to the driving style pretty quick.

    • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:57

      Thanks, maybe I should start practicing LHD. My dad has an old Ford Mustang that is LHD.

      • branners on 30/07/2015 - 21:52
        +1

        One more thing about driving in the US if you have not done it before.
        I am always the driver (my wife doesn't want to 'risk it') and I find it quite easy to adjust to having the oncoming traffic on your left, not your right, on streets and highways. But what almost gets me at least once every trip are shopping centre (center!) car parks. I find that if I am mostly concentrating on, say, finding a spot, I go 'back' to driving on 'our' side. Almost caught me out a few times!

        • ilikeradiohead on 31/07/2015 - 04:40

          Haha yeah when you're focused on other things you tend to go back. I'd often be chatting as I was walking over to the car and enter the passenger side haha.

        • RockyRaccoon on 31/07/2015 - 07:19
          +1

          @ilikeradiohead: No issue there, just open the door put something in and go to the correct side, that way it doesnt give the game away

      • KaTst3R on 31/07/2015 - 12:53
        +1

        It is really not about the location of the steering wheel, but everything on the road is flipped around. Eg, take the inner road when turning right, etc. There is no point practicing for it. When you start driving in the US, it may be awkward for the first 20min to half hour, but im 100% sure you will get used to it. Just drive slowly at the start.

        There will be times where you forget which side of the road you are on, just be quick to steer back to the correct lane. I once exited a petrol station right side on the outer lane and saw on coming traffic in front of me. Stay cool in such situations….stay cool…

  • offal spokesman on 29/07/2015 - 11:59
    +2

    Warning, i can be a plastic tourist at times, tacky can be fun

    LA wasnt anything special, except, (if your into it) the theme parks are great, also not sure if its been mentioned, but if your into a bit of TV, you can grab seats to the taping of a TV show, we managed (only just) to get seats at taping of the The BIG Bang Theory, great experience, but did take 10+ hours including queuing etc.

    I also liked the Tar pits in LA, amazing little thing, we were there for 5 days and that was enough.

    Vegas we only had three days.. couldve had more it was better than i expected - Jump off the Stratosphere for fun :)

    Highly recommend San Fran, beautiful city and lots to see.

    • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:57

      Thanks, would be great to see a taping of Big Bang.

      Have you been to New York? Would you recommend skipping New York to go to San Fran instead? Think we might not have enough time to do New York and San Fran.

      • mightyfes on 30/07/2015 - 13:37

        SF is more town like compared to NYC. It really depends on what you prefer; if a future trip to the states is in the books you can consider one coast a trip. SF is def one of the places you want to visit before you croak though!

  • cicada001 on 29/07/2015 - 12:06
    +1

    The other thing to do in LA if you like museums is the Getty Museum - it's fantastic and has a great view of the city - I'm with the others - don't waste too much time in LA

  • minniethemoocher on 29/07/2015 - 12:26

    +1 for Barstow outlet, + 1 for Citibank, also I downloaded a free app that doesn't use data on my iPhone instead of using a gps when driving.

    • Chrissy213 on 29/07/2015 - 18:55

      Thanks, do you remember what the app was called?

      • minniethemoocher on 29/07/2015 - 21:30
        +1

        Downloaded Navmii GPS USA on my iPhone, pretty sure it was free or very cheap. Bought a cheap cradle from eBay to hold my phone. I also bought a car charger but most cars have USB ports that you can plug your phone cable into.

        • minniethemoocher on 29/07/2015 - 21:37
          +2

          Oh and don't let the travel agent talk you into buying Disneyland tickets or Universal Studios from them. It's much cheaper to buy them direct. Also look up the blackout dates for annual pass holders and try to visit any attractions on those days as they are much quieter. We used Alamo for car hire they were really competive and we booked them ourselves online. Also when you are in the states and you are asked if you want to pay by USD or AUD always pick USD as the retailer will give you a crappy exchange rate. You can get a much better rate with Citibank or 28 degrees.

      • branners on 30/07/2015 - 22:05

        Not sure what Minnie used for GPS but I recommend Here Maps (which is a Nokia app). Available on both iPhone and Android, I can only speak for the Android version. Works brilliantly. You download a country's maps before you go and use it without requiring a SIM, or data. And it's free…

  • coolfriendjoachim on 29/07/2015 - 13:10
    +2

    It's already mentioned, but don't rely on Public Transport in LA. Long, long bus rides that stop every block and get stuck in traffic are the only option. And many tourist attractions don't even have public transport options.

    • KaTst3R on 29/07/2015 - 19:14
      +2

      I sat 2.5hrs bus ride one way from LA CBD to Disneyland….i regretted doing that till this day. Should have rented a car.

  • charlotto on 29/07/2015 - 15:28
    +3

    Uber will be your friend, it's so darn cheap over there and they are everywhere.

  • KaTst3R on 29/07/2015 - 19:01
    +4

    I just did a similar trip recently, but also stopped over at San Fran which I suggest you do because San Fran is very beautiful and it is close to LA and Vegas. Booked international flights with Flight Centre. Internal flights and car rental booked online myself.

    Cost:
    Virgin LA-Mel-LA = $1300
    LA to Vegas = Rented Hertz Mustang Convertible US$100 full excess
    Internal Flights to NY = One way about US$100 per person, baggage not included.

    Days to spend:
    Allocate most to NY, more to LA and least to Vegas (maybe 3 or 4 days just for DFO shopping, Grand Canyon, party and gamble). If you have the spare cash, take away some days allocated to LA and give San Fran about 4 or 5 days. It is worth it !!! So it will be NY>SF>LA>LV

    Best tips:
    1) In NY, you can buy the NewYorkPass (7 day or 10 day) pass to visit all the attractions. Will cost about US$300-ish but if you intend to cover the majority of the places, it will save you heaps. I spend 9 days in NY and have not completed everything.
    www.newyorkpass.com/
    2) Tipping is mandatory in US. Remember to change a stack of $1 bills (like 50 of them) for tipping. Restaurant requires 15% minimum tip or the waitress will approach you regarding undertippng them. Happened to me during my first few days where I only tipped 10% as I wasnt sure. Waiters prefer tips to be cash so dont add them in your credit card bill
    3) Use a Travel Money Card. You can transfer in USD through the banks. Carry some cash but this card will be your main spending tool. If need more cash can draw from ATM, cost a few bucks per withdrawal so take more each time. You will get two cards so in case you lose one, you can deactivate it online and use the other.
    4) If you like branded stuff, Coach Michael Kors and Kate Spade are less than half price in US. So look out for DFOs in every state. LA (Citadel Outlets), Vegas (Premium North and South Outlets), NY (Woodbury Outlets)
    5) Lastly, best buffet in Las Vegas is the Bachannal Buffet in Caesar Palace…

    Edit: I noticed that you live in Vic. I forgot to say that you can buy a T-mobile 30day, 3gb, unlimited local and international call Sim Card at the Melbourne Airport for AU$60. The booth is located near Vue Cafe. I bought one to use for calls, GPS and also internet tether for my partner.

    • Chrissy213 on 30/07/2015 - 21:11

      Thanks for all of the tips! The SIM card at Melbourne airport sounds like a good idea.

      • ms_caz on 11/08/2015 - 20:33

        I used the T-Mobile 30 day unlimited sim on my recent US trip (april 2015) - it was fantastic to have unlimited reliable data and to not have to rely on hotel or hot spot free wifi. Quick and easy and didn't have to think about it at all - just paid at Tullamarine and had a working phone when we touched down in LA. (ours was unlimited data and calls for 30 days)

  • branners on 29/07/2015 - 21:15
    +3

    Some tips from me and Mrs B…
    Avoid American Airlines. They are terrible. Not enough room here to list all my complaints. Last time I got an AA flight it was on a Qantas booking, and it was so bad Qantas ended up writing me an apology AND giving me a partial refund.
    Delta used to be bad but now they are pretty good.
    Virgin is quite good, and Qantas is… Qantas. You know what you are getting, just don't expect Etihad service.
    Watch the travel websites like a hawk. Keep your preferred travel dates on a piece of paper (make sure you and GF have it sorted) and when a fare comes up, grab it, do not hesitate. I once waited 15 mins and it cost me $600. Also, have your passport details (number, date of expiry, etc) on the same piece of paper.
    Book your ESTA through the official site or via a travel agent. There are scams around, so be careful.
    Arrange travel insurance. Do not skimp on this, medical costs in the USA are horrendous. A broken leg could leave you in debt for the next 10 years. Get a reputable brand to quote and compare.
    I am no fan of LA but if you go there, I recommend Disneyland (1 day will do I reckon, unless you take kids) and Universal Studios.
    If you rent a car, take pics on your phone when you pick it up and again when you drop it off, preferably in the company of an employee of the rental company. If you fill it up when you return, keep the receipt. Car rental there is a dog-eat-dog business, and some companies will try it on for 'damage' charges if you are not diligent.
    Vegas is… Vegas. I went there are a few years ago with my brothers. One loves gambling and late nights and loved it (he is going back in September); the other, quieter one will never set foot in the place again.
    New York is sensational. I spend as much time there as I can, though I have friends in that part of the world. Ditto for Boston. One of the good things about NYC is its public transport, which puts ours to shame, on a par with London or Paris. Buy an MTA pass, you can get one for 7 days which works for unlimited rides on the Subway and buses.
    Remember to tip. 20 years ago, 15% was fine, now it is the minimum, because the minimum wage has lost ground over recent years.
    Factory Outlets are the place to shop, I second the votes for the ones in Vegas. Also, Palm Springs, New York and Honolulu, if you come home that way.
    For Broadway shows, go to Half-Tix in Times Square.
    I also second the votes for TV show recordings. I have not been to any in LA but NYC has some beauts. Letterman (soon to be Colbert), Last Week Tonight, Late Show. Check online for details before you go and play the 'Aussie Tourist a Long Way From Home' card!
    If you want to get a USA SIM card for your phone, I recommend getting one from a 'brand' telco. I had all kinds of problems a few years ago and because I went with AT&T, I got help from a salesman in Brooklyn getting my phone to work. It took 30 mins but he sorted it!
    Oh yeah, DON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT GUNS! Even educated people, who you might expect to understand the big picture, might get offended about their 'rights' to be armed.

    • Chrissy213 on 30/07/2015 - 21:13

      Thanks for all the tips!

  • nikey2k27 on 29/07/2015 - 21:43

    NEW York NEW York NEW York spent most of your time bit in Vegas i personally found LA shit.

  • moza on 30/07/2015 - 08:39

    I was very surprised at the difficulty in travelling between cities in the USA. Even obvious trips like LA to San Francisco were troublesome unless you took a flight… I'm used to Europe where the trains are the most common way to get around nearby cities, and maybe then busses. I just assume that everyone either flies in a plane, or hires a car, as the public transport was slow, neglected and dodgy as all hell.

    I hate taking a flight for 1 hour…

    • KaTst3R on 30/07/2015 - 12:46

      1 hour flight…check in, take off, sip a can of coke, flip on board magazine at 5 page/min, touch down, you are there….so easy it feels like taking a bus, especially with the new biometric passport, touch on touch off…why would you hate that? Moreover you maximise your time at the new destination.

      I'll take a quick plane ride over training a couple of hours anytime.

  • starkers on 30/07/2015 - 12:58
    +1

    We had 3 weeks in the USA last year for our Honeymoon too :)

    Couldn't agree more with some of the comments already on here; LA was not somewhere you'd spend a great deal of time exploring.
    That being said, Universal Studios was good for a day out, and we did the Warner Bros. Studio tour as well, so I think you'd get a good 2 days in here.
    We spent 2 days at Disneyland and stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. This was by far the best part of our LA stop. It was everything you'd imagine it to be, and make sure if you are going here to let them know it is your honeymoon. They'll give you "newly married" badges to wear, upgrade your rooms, and make you feel extra special every time they see your badges :) 2 days was fine, but I think 3 wouldn't have hurt, to make sure you can do both sides of the parks comprehensively.

    We then drove to Vegas for 3 nights; that was more than enough time to spend there to catch a show each night, do a bit of outlet shopping, visit a few touristy spots, and gorge on the buffets. I don't think we could have stood any more time here… it gets a bit much after a few days.

    From here we hit NYC for a week. Spend as long as you can here. There are so many different boroughs to explore, and we definitely did not see everything we would have liked to. You'd almost want to spend a few nights in a few different boroughs (wish we'd done more of Brooklyn) to really make it worthwhile.

  • Bludgeman on 30/07/2015 - 13:41
    +1

    My wife and I are currently on our 4.5 month honeymoon. We're on our last week :(
    We started our trip in the US and did all the cities you're going to. People saying LA isn't great, really don't know LA. To be honest, of all the cities in the US we went to, LA and San Diego were our favourites! We spent 2 weeks in LA and just under 2 weeks in New York and 5 days in Vegas.
    Recommendations would start based on your budget.
    Los Angeles - so many things to do! Hike to the Hollywood sign, Universal studios, Disneyland etc. if you like shopping, go to Citadel outlets. There's a free shuttle from downtown.
    Vegas - cool place to really chill and feel like you're on your honeymoon. We stayed at Caesars Palace & the pool is amazing! Highly recommended. Our 5 days felt long, especially if you're not into gambling.
    New York - by far the most expensive city we went to. Hotels when we were there started at AU$200 a night. For a 2 star 20 min out from Manhattan! Airbnb it here if you can. It is a massive MASSIVE city though! People are also extremely rude in NYC a, so just be prepared. For shopping, Woodbury Common is THE BEST shopping outlet in the US! It's about 1.5 hour ride from Manhattan. A bit far but worth it! The outlet is part of the SIMON premium outlet group. We went to quite a few in the states and found this to be the best!
    Good luck!

  • 2ndeffort on 30/07/2015 - 13:46
    +1

    I fly to the US most years and go to Vegas then Colorado on a ski trip with some mates. I normally fly Qantas and buy an economy ticket then use my FF points from everyday rewards/credit cards etc to upgrade my ticket to Business calss. The lie flat bed makes sleeping easier.

    In LA I normally fly 'Southwest' across to Vegas. You can book and pay for your Southwest fare over the net before you go and Southwest have the advantage of not charging baggage fees for your first checked bag.

    In Vegas there are cheap shuttles that take you from the airport to your hotel, much cheaper than taxis but make sure you keep a couple of bucks handy to tip the guy that will insist on putting your bag in the back! Some guy will get on the shuttle and try to sell show tickets etc, not sure if they are competitive I've never bought any off them.

    At the Vegas checkin, if you are staying at one of the big strip casinos it is likely they will try and upsell you on a room upgrade. beware of the 'Resort fee' they charge on top of what you thought you were paying for your hotel room. Apparently this pays for wifi etc but probably just another hidden cash grab!

    I have been to vegas a stack of times and never gambled a cent. Casinos are interesting. It is easy to get taken in by the spectacle of the strip and Bellagios dancing fountains etc but do yourself a favour and get the bus down to 'Freemont St' There are free bands, a massive rooflong screen thing and loads of crazy Vegas showgirls/superheros etc etc everywhere. Obviously there are plenty of casinos there as well.

    Watchout for the folks dressed up as transformers etc at the side of the footpath, they want to pose with you for a photo and then they will expect $10 or so. Also at night there will be guys on every street corner on the strip flicking and handing out business cards, these are for hookers, loads of people take them, have a laugh and then 20m down the footpath from each of these guys there is a stack of the cards dropped all over the sidewalk!

    I saw the David Copperfield show at MGM Grand 2 years ago and whilst it wasn't cheap the show was amazing.

    Outlet shops at Vegas were Meh for me, been to both North and South. Best outlet shops I've been to in the US were at Orlando which is a nice segway into where else is worth visiting int he US…Orlando!!!

    I had to go to a work conference there or I might never have thought of going there but Orlando is the Theme Park capital of the US. There are 2 Universal studios parks there as well as a Sea World and Disney World. The outlets there were the best I've been to in the US. Also, just outside Orlando is Cape Canaveral and you can get a day bus trip to go and see a space shuttle and an Apollo rocket, even touch a moon rock! I thought Orlando was great. San Francisco also great as another person mentioned, trip to Alcatraz well worth it! The day we went to the Ghiradelli chocolate factory in SF they were having a boutique foreign beer promotion where the beer of the day was none other than VB. Nationalist pride collided with common sense and even though I wanted to show the yanks i was a proud aussie I still couldn't force myself to drink the free swill!

    Oh and accommodation tip, might not work well for major cities but when we go skiing we normally book our accomodation from vrbo.com (vacation rental by owner). This is a website for people that own holiday homes etc to rent them out to others. Not sure I would use it for downtown LA but if you are going to visit other parts of the US, worth a look! Ski resorts or holiday spots in the countryside i wouldn't look anywhere else!

    • SimbaGirl on 30/07/2015 - 14:44
      +3

      Southwest have the advantage of not charging baggage fees for your first checked bag.

      Southwest actually allow you two checked bags free :)

  • [Deactivated] on 30/07/2015 - 14:15
    +1

    When you get to Vegas if u arrive by plane don't get "tunneled" by the taxi driver to your hotel!!

    It's hard enough not to lose ur money without starting at the airport lol

    And avoid using Delta IMO

  • Bigsta on 30/07/2015 - 16:26
    +2

    Been all around the states, driving is very easy, rentals are very cheap unless you do one way between states depending on the state.

    If you ever wanted to go to another planet, check out Florida its a funny place with very funny people… ;-) I think its the heat, it just makes crazy things happen, i had run ins with serial killers the FBI chasing said kliller, almost eaten by alligators after flipping our truck on the intersate so many funny storeys

    Highly recommend Universal studios in Orlando and my favorite city in Chicago which is not full of tourists too is Chicago, its beautiful in their summer, beaches, volleyball open air concerts, awesome bars and nightclubs, people are really nice, only went there to see a fiend for 2 days ended up staying a week.

  • KaTst3R on 30/07/2015 - 17:57
    +2

    Travel insurance is super important in the USA. You will need to quote a policy number before you can see a doctor at the hospital.

    If you have credit cards with complimentary travel insurance, call the bank and ask them to give you the Policy Quote or Number. You will need this at the hospital in an emergency.

  • realaaa on 30/07/2015 - 18:07
    +1

    don't worry too much you'll be fine! especially with such good planning ahead of time :)

    as others mentioned don't forget about tipping (have cash handy in small notes), ways to get cash out (I usually just use my card and local ATMs at places like 7/11 or major banks rather than bringing AUD cash and exchanging it there), very important to have calls/data on your phone (either local SIM or good roaming deal like Vodafone has with their Red Roaming plans or other similar deal), of course travel insurance is essential. Airbnb was mentioned already for accommodation or standard hotel aggregator sites (booking.com, expedia etc).

    From LA to Vegas it's quite easy to drive and a nice and easy drive too (at least I thought so) except LA itself and getting out of it!

    flights-wise Qantas/Virgin should be very similar in price/quality, seems like United are catching up now (flew them about 4 years ago it was not as good especially food), also sometimes you can get a good deals via Fiji with short stop in Nadi (where you can stop over for a night or two as well).

    best of luck!

  • Chrissy213 on 30/07/2015 - 21:16

    I just want to thank everyone who has commented for your help and great tips. I'm totally blown away by the number of comments/suggestions/tips and the time you all spent answering my questions.

    Thanks again!!

  • melindaireneholmes on 30/07/2015 - 21:59
    +2

    Ahaha when I finally go back to visit friends (haven't due to young kids to prevent custody issues)I am going to use the tips. These are the last minute Vegas Show tickets: http://www.tix4tonight.com. Please tip people in cash if you put it on your card restaurant employees get it taken from their hourly wage it is criminal. Also in 2008 cut my thumb deeply, went to emergency seen for 30secs where they glued it sent a bill for $600. Definitely get insurance. If you visit SF I reccomend http://www.exploratorium.edu, most fun play museum for adults wish they had one in sydney. Transfer tickets in SF https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/transit/fares-passes/si…

  • melindaireneholmes on 30/07/2015 - 22:02
    +1

    $5 entertainment book maybe you can send them to your hotel free shipping in U.S. http://shop.entertainment.com/collections/view-all-editions

  • melindaireneholmes on 30/07/2015 - 22:06
    +1

    Relocate rental cars to save money: http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2013/dec/03/driveaway-driv…

  • melindaireneholmes on 30/07/2015 - 22:22
    +1

    Airline headphone adapter for your own: http://www.dicksmith.com.au/tools-hobbyist/airline-headphone…

  • KaTst3R on 31/07/2015 - 13:00
    +1

    At gas stations, you will need to prepay petrol in order to top up the tank. For my first time, I stood at the pump like a fool for 15 mins trying all ways to get the pump working until the lady attendant blasted on the PA system (in a yo-mama american accent)…"Sir…you will need to come in and pay first".

    I put on my hoodie, held my head down while crossing the group of cars with the drivers staring at me who are filling up and made my way to the cashier and stood quietly in line.

    • Chrissy213 on 01/08/2015 - 18:00

      Thanks, would have probably stood there too trying to get gas

  • [Deactivated] on 31/07/2015 - 21:02

    Enjoy the AUD to USD. lololol

  • ceebee on 31/07/2015 - 23:29
    +5

    Credentials: My ex was American, and my current boyfriend also American. I've been to America twice, spent a combined total of six months in America. Going again in September for another 80 day stint. Also I have a close US friend that I've known 18 years, now.

    Been to: San Fran, Seattle, Orlando, New York, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

    Fave Places: Las Vegas, San Fran (And I don't gamble).

    Least Faves: LA, NY (I was disappointed by NY but I couldn't put my finger on why; lots of others love it. It's worth visiting for sure).

    Other cities were good, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for your first trip to the US.

    Also didn't like Los Angeles. There's no 'hub' or center of town where you can walk around and see shops or anything. You have to drive everywhere, essentially. There's a tiny mall at the back of Mann's Chinese Theatre near Hollywood Blvd and that's it. If you wanna see anything good, you need to do a tour. To see the sign you need to go to a specific spot. It's also very scrub-like and suburban. It was all kinda meh to me. Beverley Hills reminded me of a swanky part of Australian suburbs. Chinatown was awful.

    Disneyland is amazing, but then I'm a fan. I've been to Tokyo Disney, Disneyworld, and am going to Anaheim Disneyland in September. I went to Universal in LA, but I didn't enjoy it very much, (I think Universal Singapore and Universal Orlando is way better— Harry Potter World), but this was 2006, it might be better now. And I didn't have that jump the queue ticket back then. I highly recommend the VIP ticket, it's apparently really great— two of my friends got it, and they really enjoyed it. Expensive though. At least get the queue jumper though, because the queue's are redonk and it's really worth it.

    For Disney if you guys are fans, I'd allow two days per park (there's now two Disney parks in LA) if you can spare it, so you can take the time enjoying it more. There is soooo much at Disney to see and do. If you cant spare it, one day each each (make sure to figure out/use the FASTPASS system to jump the queues at Disney).

    Ok, Vegas. I have stayed in Vegas for approx two months and I don't gamble at all and I really love it. There's a ton to do and see — even checking out the hotels is a fun experience. Bellagio Fountain, — there's a ton of shows to see too, Musicals, Cirque De Soleil stuff, Magic Shows, Dancing Shows, Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, Nightclubs, Cokeworld, Madame Tussauds, Outlet Malls, M&M world, Car Museums, tons of great food places (like Earl of Sandwich, inside the Planet Hollywood Casino). I can't recommend Le Reve enough. It blew me away, and I don't even like that kind of stuff. I was thinking of seeing it again next time I go. A great thing about it is the theatre is circular, so you can see from every angle.

    Be careful of 'resort fees' in Vegas— most of the hotels now charge this extra fee per day (usually 20 dollars) that isn't explicitly stated when booking. It is paid for in the end of the stay. There's no real way around it, the list of hotels that don't charge a resort fee is really low. If you can afford it, stay at Bellagio, Venetian/Palazzo or Wynn because they are fancypants and awesome. If you can't afford it, the Paris is decent, and so is New York New York. I wouldn't recommend the low end cheapie hotels like Flamingo or Circus. If you wanna save money, go slightly off the strip to Hard Rock Hotel, which is nice and new and not too expensive.

    Vegas is awesome, and funnily enough under-rated. People don't explore it nearly enough, and think they know what it's about based on 5 days there. I recommend you wander into every theme hotel— each one has some kind of highlight. Eg. Ceaser's Palace has an ancient-rome style mall with painted ceiling, and two animatronic fountains. Bellagio has a seasonally themed garden inside the lobby, New York has a roller coaster. Etc. Although the strip is a long way to walk, it's great exercise to walk up and down it. We seldom got rides.

    Also you gotta try at least one Vegas buffet. There are $10-15 dollar ones with world cuisines that are great, but If you like meat, you have to go to Texas De Brazil. It's pricey but really really worth it. Also, if you like burgers, every single hotel on the strip (almost) has a gourmet burger bar now, it's all the rage.

    New York — when I say NY, I mostly just mean Manhattan. Definitely go. A lot of people love it. Personally, it didn't do it for me and I went twice. I was expecting a lot but I was disappointed. The best thing about it for me was Broadway shows, (we watched Lion King) so absolutely watch a musical or two if you can swing it. It was pretty awesome. Otherwise Central Park is pretty great. Times Square was pretty cool and iconic. And the streets reminded me of Cop shows and Sex and the City. But it was super crowded, very dirty, and expensive, in my opinion. It was tough to eat out cheaply— we got McDonalds twice! And there wasn't a lot of choice compared to Vegas. The queue for Empire State, Chrysler Building (which is definitely awesome, and looks way cooler than ES imo) and the Liberty Island ferry is ridiculously long. It might be better in April, but in summer, It took us about two hours to get up the Empire State, at night— and we couldn't even get to Liberty Island and had to settle for a ferry that just swung past the statue. Also there are tourists everywhere. I found it difficult to find a place to chill and have a coffee or something, because of the amount of people. We made the top Starbucks within Trump Tower our little haven, which worked out well. If you like shopping however, it's great. Tons of stores. The hotel was also waaay smaller, and much much pricier compared to Vegas— way less competition. Pizza was awesome though, and native New Yorkers were great. Other tourists not so much. Tip: Don't buy hot dog stand dogs, go to an actual place like Gray's Papaya or Papaya Dog. They are better.

    San Fran, to me, had a similar feel to NY in parts but I liked it more. Cleaner, less crowded. Pier 39 reminded me of the Piers in NY but with actual stuff to do and see and places to eat. San Fran is expensive though, just as expensive as NY, and a bit more sprawled out. The bridge was awesome, as was Alcatraz, Japantown, Union Square, Palace of Fine Arts, Dolores Park, etc. Piers have pretty neat submarine museums and things like that.

    Personally I'd do at least 7 days in Vegas, and 4-5 in Manhattan, 4 in LA (3 for theme parks, 1 to do touristy stuff), and then I'd try and do San Fran, after LA which I think is worth it too. I don't know if you'll be able to afford more than 4 days there though. Otherwise I'd visit Boston after NY, since they're close. (Haven't been to Boston though).

    You'll be okay. Just make sure to get either the 28 Degrees Credit Card (if you're eligible, it's a platinum card. I wasn't.) and a Citybank savings account, which has no fees for overseas withdrawals.

    As for flights, you'll want under 1.5-1.6k AUD per person to LA or SFO. Including insurance. I paid 1.6k last year insured, (not on sale, I didn't know about OzB back then) to SFO. And for my upcoming I paid about 2k insured four months ago, but am going direct to Seattle, which costs more. I think if you can get 1.3 each, it'll be pretty good. Cheaper than that is even better.

    I did all internal flights myself, and we just went with who was cheapest using Kayak. Keep in mind check in luggage usually costs extra for domestic flights. Allow enough time for connections— US flights are frequently delayed, I found. Start saving. Internal flights may cost a lot. They were between 100 USD to 300 depending on where we were going.

    Also you might want to look into a US sim card, or a roaming plan.

    Have fun!

    • Chrissy213 on 01/08/2015 - 18:01

      Thanks Ceebee!

    • anth0888 on 09/08/2015 - 09:28

      What a post! :)

    • ms_caz on 11/08/2015 - 20:41

      Vegas resort fees are now in the vicinity of $28 - 32 USD per room per night, and will need to be paid directly to the hotel on top of whatever you pay for your booking and hotel taxes etc. Suddenly that $US45 room becomes twice as expensive. And also be aware that hotels will require a credit card for you to check in and they will place a "hold" on your card. This could be as much as the cost per room per night on top of what you will have already paid. This will "drop off" (as long as you don't trash the room) but could take some weeks, and in the meantime you don't have access to this credit unless you are travelling on a card with a really substantial limit. Make sure you plan for it.It's going to be an expensive holiday - you don't want to spend it counting every single penny because you are running out of $$$$. :)

  • maximum on 01/08/2015 - 20:57
    +2

    About 3 months before you go book your Statue of Liberty tickets up inside the crown. Only costs a couple of dollars more and you get to skip the queue - which was huge.
    Also if you are going to San Francisco book the night tour to Alcatraz- you get to see things not on the day tour and it's not crowded so it feels creepier.
    These book out quick and are fantastic experiences. I loved San Fran . We just used public transport and went practically everywhere. We even got to ring the bell on the trolleycar (all 7 of us were the only ones who got to do this - the conductor had a crush on my sister).

    • phoenixx on 07/08/2015 - 15:21
      +1

      Totally agree on the night tour.

      I did it November of last year. Absolutely amazing.

      See if anything special is happening around the time you're over. There was even a Ai Weiwei exhibition held in one of the creepy run down buildings on the island.

  • Chrissy213 on 08/08/2015 - 13:49

    Hi everyone,
    Went to flight centre this morning. I can get United return flights to LAX for $1,100 (includes 1 x 23kg bag) or Qantas return flights to LAX for $1,350 (2 x 23kg bags) for April 2016.

    I'd probably prefer to fly with Qantas.

    Does anyone think I might be able to get better prices than this if I wait or should I just book the flights?

    Thanks

  • anth0888 on 09/08/2015 - 09:27

    In regards to driving in the United states. Is it comparably safe as Australia (Just car safety wise) - as in risk of car jackings and street hustlers causing dramas or even car theft? What's your view and experiences?

  • soc on 10/08/2015 - 11:11

    There's lots of tips on driving and car rental in the US in this thread. I booked a rental through www.economycarrentals.com. They were cheaper than anyone else and include all insurance with no excess; expedia.co.uk (NOT .com.au) also do this. And there are other similar agents mentioned in the thread.

  • ms_caz on 11/08/2015 - 20:23

    I've been researching a lot lately for my next USA trip - in April 2016, and to NYC and Vegas, as it happens. I've already booked accommodation - totally cancellable - through booking.com etc and am keeping an eye on the rates to see if/when they drop. Have been to both places before but have also been doing a lot of research on Tripadvisor. A few people here have mentioned airb'n'b and VRBO - it would appear from advice on tripadvisor that these arrangements are not legal in the state of New York. Now I know "everybody" does it, and I'm not totally sure the TA folk are not just scaremongering, but it might be worth a moment to check out their Forum FAQs where there are articles relating to this.

    I'm not sure if I read whether you have travelled before. The USA is a bit of a culture shock in some ways because so much of it is very familiar, and yet so different at the same time. I think NYC is a BIG culture shock because it is so big, busy, and can be a bit overwhelming if you are a bit hesitant as a tourist. Its not unmanageable, you just need to be prepared. Tax and tips can really throw you, and of course the Aus dollar is not strong so make sure you have a realistic idea of how much this is going to cost you.

    • Chrissy213 on 13/08/2015 - 22:42

      Thanks for the tips. Do you book at all through Expedia? Do you normally pay now with free cancellation or pay later?

      I haven't travelled outside of Australia so understand that ow will be quite different. Lucky I'm an accountant so should hopefully be able to manage taxes and tips, and the exchange rate.

      • ms_caz on 14/08/2015 - 17:09
        +1

        I have booked and paid already through Expedia for one of the properties that I am interested in because it was on a very deep discount, had been well regarded on the TA forums, and because I didn't want to risk the AUD falling any further and bumping the price up. However, it is fully refundable so that if I see an even better rate before then I can cancel, get a refund and re-book. It might take some time for a refund but I have enough of a cash buffer to be able to afford to have two bookings tied up simultaneously. As far as I can see, the only thing I am missing out on is a very tiny interest amount that i would receive if I left the money in my savings account!

        But I search across all of the consolidators and the hotel websites themselves - I'm not tied in to be loyal to any one in particular - it is whatever has the best deal as far as i'm concerned!

  • mayo88 on 13/08/2015 - 21:30

    Cheaper to book some Hotels through LMTCLUB ive found.

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