Question for people from other countries that visit the US.

[mistermullens]

I got to thinking today, when people from other countries visit the US for vacation or should I say holiday, where do you visit? Are there any "hot spots"? For example, there is so much history in Europe, I could pick almost anywhere for vacation, but what about the US?

Thanks for indulging my curiosity.

[Derek S]

It seems Germans like San Francsico. Everytime I'm there, there is an abundance of them-judging by the German I hear spoken. They seem to always be smoking, stopping in middle of crowded sidewalks and getting the corners on their heads filed down.

[jimd]

We did 2 weeks in the UK and Ireland, driving around and staying in B&B's. I found that most folks we talked to about the U.S. either had been or wanted to go to Disney World/Florida or Las Vegas.

[Big John]

If i only had the time ! .......................

I have some friends i have visited in Hominy Oklahoma, Hays Kansas and have done a little work in Nashville but i ain't even begun to scratch the surface !

Sorry but 'Disneyanything' would be a 'no no' for me but the space stuff in Florida i HAVE to see, an actual launch would just be too much, i'm from that generation that see's those guys as real hero's.

I lived a good while in Norway so have an affinity with Alaska so put that on the list for bears, wide open spaces and no-one to bother me.

My partner had planned a trip to Austin in 07 for my 50th but like the tool i am i got pneumonia instead so want to go there to meet a lot of friends i have made over the years who seem to have gravitated to there.

The Rockies, just because they are there ..............

Vegas, but just so i can fly over it at night, i'm a sucker for pretty lights and where i live you don't see anything like that at night, even in a dream. Anyone from there know a drummer called John Parrot by the way ?

Seattle, i have relations there living up near where Twin Peaks was filmed and it seems wet so i would be used to that.

To be honest, just a muscle car and the gas and one endless summer and i would be more than happy to try and do the lot !!

I would finish off my dream vacation at GetBent's house, we could talk about Mac's, have a wee drinkie or two and sing 'Wichita Lineman' round the camp fire 'til dawn.




If any of you know a TV company i would be more than happy to be an 'Englishman abroad' and be filmed doing the 'US road trip' thing !
My idea so me first dibs OK ?

[BlimpyBoy]

One of the (many) things I love about the US is the contrast between the various parts of it, so my choice of favorite US vacation spot is varied; New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco and any national park!

It's probably true that few Europeans visit The States for history, (I went to a school that's older than the US!) we visit for the grandeur and buzz of New York, the fantastic neon madness of Vegas, the classic beauty of SF and the awe inspiring scenery of the National Parks.

Despite the "Americanisation" of a lot of Europe (today I had a coffee at Starbucks, grabbed lunch at Subway and I'm typing this on my Apple Mac Book Pro!), America is still very,very different from anywhere else. Everything just seems bigger and more positive than the UK. After visiting the US about 15 times since '91 I still love the moment the wheels touch down on US soil.

[Big John]

Originally Posted by BlimpyBoy

.................It's probably true that few Europeans visit The States for history, (I went to a school that's older than the US!)

Yeah, thats a bit of a shame too don't you think ?, there is some real interesting history there from Native folk right up to now.
I loved all the cowboy stuff at Dodge city, yeah, yeah, i know it's tourist stuff but to see names and places i had only ever seen in films with folk like John Wayne was a real treat.
Our part of the UK traditionaly has very strong US links via the 'Mighty 8th' and then the USAF, i went to school with 'yanks' and have remained friends with many.

I love to tick off friends from the States by reminding them that when Columbus first rolled up on that beach and set up the bar-b-q my house was already standing !!

[jhundt]

...the "Americanisation" of a lot of Europe (today I had a coffee at Starbucks, grabbed lunch at Subway...

man - that is pathetic! You have to start thinking more about where you go for food and coffee. Those places are god-awful crap, no matter what country they're located in.

[Stevie 202]

Well off the top of me head I'd say;

Washington DC
Grand Canyon
Hoover Dam
Mount Rushmore
The Alamo
Philadephia (Eg;Liberty bell)
Nashville (graceland, Grand Ol Opry etc..)
Hollywood

That's just the tip. If I though about it, I'd come up with lot's more. Lotta history in the ol' U. S. of A. too!

For ME, I'd go on a "blues pigrimage" I'd start way down south and work my way up to Chicago hitting all the historically relevant spots on the way. Sigh. Some day.

[tjalla]

Absolutely. For me it would be primarily to check out the music scene. Spent 2 weeks in Chicago (see my avatar, it was cold!), Memphis and New Orleans (pre-Katrina)... absolutely loved it and barely saw enough, even though I caught live music almost every night I was there.

My wife likes the idea of a cross-continental Winnebago (sp?) trip Maybe someday...

[jhundt]

My wife likes the idea of a cross-continental Winnebago (sp?) trip Maybe someday...

that's exactly what my wife wants to do. I'm in for the trip, but I'm not convinced about the motor-home, certainly these days with 4$/gallon gas!

[tjalla]

Yea, mine wants to eat "authentic greasy roadhouse food". I wonder if it will be petrol prices or our stomachs that cut the trip short

[klasaine]

We have European visitors once, sometimes twice a year. since we're on the west coast we generally do a big "loop" ...
Fly to Phoenix, rent a car and then Sedona, Grand Cyn, Monument Valley, Bryce, Zion (it'll vary seasonally and depending on how much time we all have) then Vegas - or Reno to S.F. then fly back to L.A.
I must be a good tour guide because they tell us how lucky we are and wonder if they could "swing" living in the states. It's a beautiful place, especially with a native as a tour guide and an interpreter.
My wife is now itching to take the "big road trip" across the country - at least to Chicago and back.

[MickM]

Originally Posted by Stevie 202

Well off the top of me head I'd say;

Washington DC
Grand Canyon
Hoover Dam
Mount Rushmore
The Alamo
Philadephia (Eg;Liberty bell)
Nashville (graceland, Grand Ol Opry etc..)
Hollywood

That's just the tip. If I though about it, I'd come up with lot's more. Lotta history in the ol' U. S. of A. too!

For ME, I'd go on a "blues pigrimage" I'd start way down south and work my way up to Chicago hitting all the historically relevant spots on the way. Sigh. Some day.

All the above look good but I'd substitute this http://www.crazyhorse.org/ for Rushmore. It's 20 min away, and while 10 minutes is enough to see Rushmore, 10 hours just touches the surface of Crazy Horse imo. This coming from someone who could never conceive carving a whole mountain!

[superchicken_VI]

Originally Posted by tjalla

Yea, mine wants to eat "authentic greasy roadhouse food". I wonder if it will be petrol prices or our stomachs that cut the trip short

You don't need a Winnebago to find those. They're everywhere.

I found it funny in Ireland that you'd ask someone where something is, and they'd say something like "Oh, it's a long ways, about an hour away." I didn't have the heart to tell them an hour was what my last daily work commute was. Different world here, with so much open ground to cover to do anything.

[whitebread]

The grass is always greener....

My wife and I dream of moving to Paris someday. Funny huh, we lay on the beach here in FL and dream of listening to some gyspsy jazz in a little Parisian cafe.

[teleblasterdog]

whatever you do

DO NOT GO TO Pennsylvania


i would suggest

NYC, LA, VEGAS, DC


dont go to the chesapeake bay either.....stay away from delaware as well as maryland and virginia

[Nighthawk]

Originally Posted by Big John

Yeah, thats a bit of a shame too don't you think ?, there is some real interesting history there from Native folk right up to now.
I loved all the cowboy stuff at Dodge city, yeah, yeah, i know it's tourist stuff but to see names and places i had only ever seen in films with folk like John Wayne was a real treat.
Our part of the UK traditionaly has very strong US links via the 'Mighty 8th' and then the USAF, i went to school with 'yanks' and have remained friends with many.

I love to tick off friends from the States by reminding them that when Columbus first rolled up on that beach and set up the bar-b-q my house was already standing !!

Yes, but what about the French and Indian War? You could visit Lake George and see Ticonderoga in New York. Or how about the revolution? Might be a sore subject but there's always Yorktown and if your a history fanatic, there is a lot of history right there on the James peninsula in Virginia, not to mention the rest of Virginia.

[guitarzan13]

Originally Posted by tjalla

My wife likes the idea of a cross-continental Winnebago (sp?) trip Maybe someday...

Wow.....gas 4 bucks + a gallon and those things get about 4 or 5 MPG ................ Cheaper to buy her a new Diamond ring

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

Yes, but what about the French and Indian War? You could visit Lake George and see Ticonderoga in New York. Or how about the revolution? Might be a sore subject but there's always Yorktown and if your a history fanatic, there is a lot of history right there on the James peninsula in Virginia, not to mention the rest of Virginia.

All sounds good to me !!
Cape Cod and Martha's vineyard was named by a local of ours - Bartholomew Gosnold so there is a history of us old Suffok boys 'heading west'.

[Scotland]

Originally Posted by Big John

If i only had the time ! .......................
Sorry but 'Disneyanything' would be a 'no no' for me but the space stuff in Florida i HAVE to see, an actual launch would just be too much, i'm from that generation that see's those guys as real hero's.

Me too, the whole Disney thing just disney interest me !
I want to see New York yellow cabs....don't ask ! Guys playing accoustic in the porch..way out in the country, John Wayne shooting a few Indians and Indians shooting the baddies......sorry, got carried away.

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Scotland

Me too, the whole Disney thing just disney interest me !
I want to see New York yellow cabs....don't ask ! Guys playing accoustic in the porch..way out in the country, John Wayne shooting a few Indians and Indians shooting the baddies......sorry, got carried away.

Here's an even better idea for a TV travel show !, we'll team up with BlueMetalflake and go and do 'the big road trip' and we can call it "An Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman ........."

[mudbean]

Yes, our National Parks are unparalleled for their immense beauty.

mud

[Stevie 202]

Originally Posted by MickM

All the above look good but I'd substitute this http://www.crazyhorse.org/ for Rushmore. It's 20 min away, and while 10 minutes is enough to see Rushmore, 10 hours just touches the surface of Crazy Horse imo. This coming from someone who could never conceive carving a whole mountain!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>..


Wow! no kidding. THAT is pretty damn cool!