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I have about 17 days to burn and plan on flying over the Atlantic from Europe to do so. That's where my problems start. Which cities, which part of the continent and so on. I have been to New York three times and adore it, but will probably skip it this time around (even if it makes my heart bleed).
LA, Florida and Las Vegas are no no's for me, just don't feel the need at the moment. Love history, love nature, love my camera and my note book. Love to sit and watch the world go around, love to just walk around and get a feel for places, sit on benches on rocks on anything. Stroll through fascinating neighbourhoods.
I have had a longing to experience the northwestern parts of the US for some time though, you know, stand on a chilly rocky beach watching a storm coming in, experiencing the lushness of the Ewok-forests. So... driving down the coast of Oregon has its appeal.
I think, and I am predjudice for sure, that you should fly into Seattle, take about 5 days here,-- world cup soccer tickets take a ferry ride, a day along the water front and Pike Place Market, a day to see Mt. Rainier, world cup soccer tickets take a day cruise tour into the San Juan Islands, then drive south from Seattle down 101 thru Oregon, see the coast and big waves, then go to Big Sur and see the Giant trees,, then on to Sonoma California for wine country (very beautiful) then on to San Francisto, Fisnerman's Wharf, the Golden Gate, etc....How can you lose.
W/ just 17 days -- I'd skip Chicago and fly straight to Seattle. 2 - 3 days in Seattle, another 2 days either on the coast or somewhere else in WA state, 3 days on the Oregon coast, 5 days for the Redwoods/northern CA coast/wine country and 4 days in San Francisco would be a VERY full itinerary.
DC and Boston... I don't know... DC seems a bit too monumental to me, even though the museums would for sure be brilliant. Of course, it would make for an easy trip, do Boston-Philly-DC and even be able to throw in NYC while at it, hopping on trains etc.
Seattle does fascinate me, and so does San Francisco, but I might be the oddest tourist around I would not go near Fisherman's Wharf. For same reasons I avoid Times Square and Empire world cup soccer tickets State Building in NYC. I like to take the side roads and keep away from the hottest of hotspots. (But wouldn not miss the Golden Gate Bridge, I'm not THAT odd, .)
My initial thoughts circled around cities, as in fly into one, get into another world cup soccer tickets and so on. But then I thought about trains and then the car came into the picture. So that's when I too started thinking about doing the sensible thing and group things slightly more together.
I'm slightly more westward inclined as I have been to the east coast (okay, just to NYC, but still). And even if I would take the time to drive down to SF, I would try to do it as fast as possible. Making it a 4-5 day trip perhaps. I don't feel the need to "see it all", but stop occasionally and swiftly and then move on. Or what do I know, if I go there I might feel like spending 17 days in that small quiant seaside town. Hah.
With 17 days, I would do Chicago 3 nights world cup soccer tickets (love this city but 3 nights, world cup soccer tickets 2 full days is enough time to see some wonderful museums - do Art Institute and Grant park, take the architectural cruise, enjoy great dining), then off to the west coast. Spend 3 nights in Seattle, world cup soccer tickets 3 nights in Portland/with a day trip to Multnomah Falls and then head out to the coast for 3 nights, take another 2 days to drive to San Francisco (including a stop to explore Northern california including the redwoods), spend 3 nights in SF. If you skip Chicago, I would add the Olympic Peninsula, San Juan Islands or Vancouver world cup soccer tickets Island world cup soccer tickets for 3 days.
17 (or 12, 13, 14) days from Seattle to SF sounds wonderful. You will see some of the most amazing country, hiking, waterfalls, ocean beaches. Great photography opportunities. Funky neighborhoods and sidewalk world cup soccer tickets cafes.
janisj: I know it's long and I know it will take me some time and I would let it take some time. What I mean is, that I don't have to see it all as in not stop at every place and so on. I'd love to see the beaches and the redwoods, so if I could cram that in along a 4-5 day long drive, I'd be happy. Wine country isn't on my must-do-list, as I really dislike wine (I know, total blasphemy), I do know that it has some nice scenery, but as this trip will be a compromise in many regards, that's something I could drive by "using the fastlane". I wouldn't do any longer hikes (not that I mind doing it normally) nor would I stay at some place for a longer period. I see myself world cup soccer tickets (and of course I could be very wrong here) mostly driving, getting out of the car now and then, maybe spend half an hour to an hour on some nice place and then continue.
I have driven 1300 km (that's the length of my country from south to north) in two days, not using freeways. And felt that was a leasury pace with a lot of stops and so on. But yes, I understand the situation will be different in northwest US, and that's why I thought 4-5 days might do it.
I can understand your West Coast dream. Having lived only in North America on the East Coast (Canada world cup soccer tickets US) myself, I find I'm always in awe when I get to the west... the big trees, the big mountains, the multicoloured landscapes/canyons (reds, oranges) in places (you won't hit the latter this trip). I feel an obligation world cup soccer tickets however to gently reproach you for equating been to NYC= been to East Coast. NYC is uniquely NYC and is quite different from Savannah, Baltimore, Boston and Miami. That said, I do get you as the West Coast offers something that the East Coast locales can't due to the uniquely West Coast topography.
I think POlson has a great plan that fits perfectly with the spirit of your dream.. 3 nights Chicago to break up the trip as you say, and then Seattle drive down to SF over 2 weeks, allotting some time for the two cities at either end. Sounds like bliss to me!
a couple of thoughts: it will most likely be very hot and humid in Chicago at that time of year - I would suggest making this trip all about the west coast of the US - flying into Seattle, driving the Oregon coast, northern world cup soccer tickets California world cup soccer tickets redwoods and coastline - San Francisco area - but don't forget the Monterey peninsula and Yosemite
Daniel_Williams: Hah, I know, I really don't equate NYC with the whole east coast, . It's just that I have "been" to the east, even if the place I've been to is really an area as large as an ants poo on the map, so that's why it would "feel" different going a bit further away this time. Some day I will for sure explore the area between Florida world cup soccer tickets and DC, Savannah and the likes. That's another point of interest to me.
TDudette: I haven't thought that much about hotels just yet. If I, for example, decide on the Chicago-Seattle-drive-San Francisco, I would get hotels in all the cities, but I'm not sure about the drive. I understand it gets pretty quiet at the beginning of October, so I would probably be able to wing it, at least some. But that part is still pretty hazy to me so...
The scenery is great during the daylight part of the trip on the California Zephyr. world cup soccer tickets Rent your car in Reno and then drive anywhere in California you want to see. From San Francisco north along the coast stopping often in the small towns and ocean views would be good. Be sure to see Redwood National Park in Northern California. Continue up the Oregon coast as far as Astoria then cut over to Portland. If you still have the time and inclination, head up I-5 to see Seattle. Return to Reno by way of I-5 to Sacramento and I-80 to Reno. A detour if you have the time would be to get off I-5 in Roseburg and head east and then south into Crater Lake NP leaving the park through the south entrance and east on 62 to US 97 south through Klamath world cup soccer tickets Falls to Weed, CA to rejoin I-5.
Chicago is a must, much more exciting than either Boston or DC (DC is more of a US history visit, world cup soccer tickets if you're looking for that), Boston is just Boston. Chicago IMHO is the best city in US to visit. Spend couple of nights there and then take a short Amtrak train trip to western Michigan to New Buffalo and spend couple of nights there. Wonderful art galleries, antique shopping, beaches, restaurants, bike rides, wine country, etc.
I think your trip seems fine. You have very strong ideas of what you want to do and you have thought at great lenghts about it, so I would keep to your schedule. With the one exception of 5 nights in Chicago, I would stay maybe 3 at most.
tomfuller: The California Zephyr was actually a "wow, yes, this is something I want to do"-thing for me just a couple of days ago. The scenery seems absolutely world cup soccer tickets breathtaking and I like travelling on trains. And yes, I also counted that even if I booked a roomette, it would be cheaper than living in a hotel and pay for food. But I guess I just read too much about it and kind of got bored of the idea.
It was after the train-idea that I moved to the car-idea. Mainly to have some more flexibility, be able to stop and take pictures at my own pace. Photography is number one on my travels, I have a full frame DSLR and love to keep myself occupied behind the viewfinder.
ARGH. So many places, so little time! I really need to tell myself I can come over some other time and then do another part of the country, I can't have it all now... Luckily I don't have to make a decision any time soon, can think things through for a couple of months.
Thank you again everyone! I'm grateful for all the advice you've given me. I'll have to digest this for some time, maybe take a time out from the planning and then dive back in after a little while. Maybe I then might be able to make a decision. I hope.....
Sorry - but you probably don't want to take any long distance train trips -- CA Zephyr or others. world cup soccer tickets It isn't like in Europe where you can pretty much