be sure to take Highway 1 (not 5) from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It runs along the ocean and is incredible.

Also incredible and NOT TO BE MISSED - is southern Utah: Zion and Bryce National Parks, at least.

Go from LA to Vegas (skip San Diego) then to Sedona, Arizona (also amazing like southern Utah) and north to Zion and Bryce. There's also Arches and Canyonlands National Parks further east in Southern Utah. You could then take Highway 70 through the western park of Colorado through the Rockies to Denver, then head back south to your original route.

an RV would be a fortune on gas and not very fun or fast. (although I guess if
someone pays you $10,000 for advertising that may not be an issue - have those people call me)
I would say get a small car then outside of the big cities you can stay many decent places for $50. Or if you want to see National Parks you can camp if you have a small tent and sleeping bags.

While you are in Utah, go and see the Monument Valley. Stay at the Gouldings Lodge where you can rent video's with all the western movies that were shot there.

And the highway 1 in California is incredible, one of the US highlights.

Make sure you watch the film "Deliverance" before traveling thru the south. Definitely skip Texas and Oklahoma. If it were me I'd also skip Seattle and Oregon too. Pretty to see not much to do. Fly into San Francisco and visit Haight Ashbury district, wine country, Alcatraz, and expore the city. Then work your way south to San Diego. LA has Hollywood, DisneyWorld, Sunset Strip, Venice Beach. San Diego is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the USA. Great zoo, Sea World, take a peek a Mexico, US Navy base, and gorgeous weather.

Hop over to Vegas from San Diego (about 6 hours drive) go see the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Head to New Orleans and see whats left. Go see Florida if you want or hit Memphis and then hit the east coast. Virginia, Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, then cut thru Buffalo and hit Niagara Falls Canada and Toronto. Head thru Canada into Detroit see Motown then get out of town, next to Chicago and St. Louis.

I agree with the above untill he says to head west from Boston. Unless you want to see the R+r Hall of Fame in Cleve, the midwest is nothing . Avoid it completely. St.Louis, Detroit, are you kidding? You Must Visit The King if you come to the u.s. its the law. Also, I must disagree with the advise for a small car. With the amount of big trucks these days a small car is dangerous and nerve wracking on any highway, plus harder on the body on long drives. The RV would be alot easier on you and more fun.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2007-01-26 00:30 by keithfan64.

I agree with little Queenie , from Vegas the Grand Canyon is only 4hrs away in Northern Arizonia and in southern Utah you can see Bryce Canyon , Zion canyon and lake Powell all with in two hrs of each other. You will Never forget seeing these places.

Seattle also has one of the finest Zoo's (Woodland Park )in the World Everyone talks about about the San Diago zoo which is nice but I think this one was far superior.

Man i'm jealous reading this!

Ok, I have been to the states a lot, and seen many cities, so I am lucky, but i would LOVE to do what you are doing kent, to take a few months out and drive around the country! Amazing!

I would skip orlando, unless you want to see disneyworld. The first one (disneyland) is in anaheim (L.A). But miami is nuts, a great and hot ( in both senses of the word) party place. And the gulf of mexico (tampa, sarasota, clearwater etc) have amazing beaches.

I would agree with others about chicago. A great place. Also agree about seeing canada, try and see niagara falls and toronto or vancouver.

_____________________________________________________

What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

The only thing I would add is : HAVE FUN AND ENJOY . I think you will have a ball and I envy your journey. I went to Eurpoe for a month once. All I had was a plane ticket from N.Y to Frankfurt . I had thiry days to make my way to Lisbon. I enjoyed everyday I was there . No hassles and the peole were great. EVERYWHERE we went. Hopewecan return the favor.

I agree with Highway 1 between San Francisco and LA- Spectacular. I would try to visit as many National Parks as possible. Souther Utah is awesome. Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches, Canyon Lands and also Monument Valley.. The Grand Canyon is one of the damndest things you've never seen.

In California Yosemite is wonderful. Just to the south is Kings Canyon/Sequoia, Death Valley, Joshua Tree etc...

If you could make it to Yellowstone in Wyoming..

I grew up in Memphis and why anyone would want to go to Graceland is beyond me.

Have fun - Bring $$$

Of course you need to go to Graceland and Sun Studios...and the Stax Museum is spectacular. The best barbecue in town is the Bar-B-Q Shop on Madison Avenue but the other places which were mentioned are good, too. And really, there's no barbecue like the stuff here in West Tennessee so don't think it's something you've already tasted and can pass up!

Just south of Memphis, on your way down to Clarksdale on Highway 61, are a bunch of casinos and one of them, the Horseshoe, has a great blues museum. I haven't been to Clarksdale in years but there is also a great blues museum down there as well (of course) and I'm sure someone will point you to the infamous crossroads.

All this talk of the West has me salivating, as well (haven't been since 2002). Route 66 is great (although sometimes it becomes nothing but a gravel road). If you pass through Amarillo, Texas, be sure to stop off at the Cadillac Ranch.

Edited to say: small cars are fine on the open road....I have one and you just gotta watch the trucks and SUVs!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-01-26 03:05 by IgotDbluez.

The Sicilian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
San Diego is considered one of the most
> beautiful cities in the USA. Great zoo, Sea
> World, take a peek a Mexico, US Navy base, and
> gorgeous weather.
>

i know it's known for it's weather, but its beauty? i've been several times and am never impressed. it's got OK nice beach towns to the north but the city itself is pretty lame...the stones put on a great show there though in november '05. as for the most beautiful city in the US - nothing can compare with san francisco.

as for mexico, be careful - many people (including myself and my mother) have been pulled over there and asked for money in order to avoid jail. people warned me to bring "bribe money" - friends who bring pot in always give up the cash...i just got flustered and my mom started to cry - they let us go. you can also park in the US and walk across the border if you just want to spend a few hours there and languish in the poverty.

also, the canadian rockies are fabulous - the water in the moutain lakes is as blue as the carribean - banff national park is unlike anything i've ever seen. you could start there (fly into edmonton, alberta, then drive down through montana and see the national parks there (yellowstone and glacier) then to seattle and south...

there's a lot to do in LA - i'd go straight from there to las vegas.

As a couple of people have already said, do not miss Memphis. Loads of great music to be explored (past and present) - Graceland, Beale Street, The Rock and Soul Museum @ Stax, Mississippi River, Sun Records, etc..

An often overlooked site would be The Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Hotel where MLK was shot.

If you gonna come thru Georgia, please stop by for some southern cooking and music.

Oh yeah, The Grand Canyon.

Queenie, if you aren't a tour guide, you should be..

JR

The Grand Canyon is awesome, isn't it? I saw it with my own eyes for the 1st time in 2002 and just can't get it out of my head.

I wanna hike down to the Phantom Ranch one day......

Yeah, it's the most impressive thing I've ever seen! Pictures, movies, etc. cannot capture the immense size and beauty of the place.

sounds like a great trip, i agree with everyone's suggestions... dont miss Vegas, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, NYC, San Fran, and the real west --- Indian country --- Monument Valley on the Navajo Nation is one of the most spirtual places on earth...plus all the National parks Grand Canyon is only a few hours from Vegas, go to the West entrance the Hualapi Indians just built a glass deck - that juts out over the canyon 70' and you can ride horses/atv's there...[www.msnbc.msn.com]



Grand Canyon



Monument Valley

I remember driving from the north into the Monument Valley area and the air just smelled wonderful - I think it was pinon and the burning of the Indian ovens.

I can't believe I drove a rental car all over those "roads" in the Valley!

Photographs cannot capture how magical the Grand Canyon and southern Utah are. If you've seen it with your own eyes you know what I mean. It is worth the effort.

[www.us-parks.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-01-26 05:22 by Rialb.

little queenie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Sicilian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> San Diego is considered one of the most
> > beautiful cities in the USA. Great zoo, Sea
> > World, take a peek a Mexico, US Navy base, and
> > gorgeous weather.
> >
>
> i know it's known for it's weather, but its
> beauty? i've been several times and am never
> impressed. it's got OK nice beach towns to the
> north but the city itself is pretty lame...the
> stones put on a great show there though in
> november '05. as for the most beautiful city in
> the US - nothing can compare with san francisco.
>
> as for mexico, be careful - many people (including
> myself and my mother) have been pulled over there
> and asked for money in order to avoid jail. people
> warned me to bring "bribe money" - friends who
> bring pot in always give up the cash...i just got
> flustered and my mom started to cry - they let us
> go. you can also park in the US and walk across
> the border if you just want to spend a few hours
> there and languish in the poverty.
>
> also, the canadian rockies are fabulous - the
> water in the moutain lakes is as blue as the
> carribean - banff national park is unlike anything
> i've ever seen. you could start there (fly into
> edmonton, alberta, then drive down through montana
> and see the national parks there (yellowstone and
> glacier) then to seattle and south...
>
> there's a lot to do in LA - i'd go straight from
> there to las vegas.

Queenie, I used to drive to Tijuana Mexico for gas weekly back in the 80's. I've been there a few times since never got pulled over and never heard of such a thing. I would never walk over. Lots of beggars. But good bargains of many items.

Driving down thru the Canadian Rockies is a waste of time. Skip the whole northwest (visit northern California above San Francisco that will be plenty) You will get enough of that at Grand Canyon and the East Coast. Spend time in cities with things to see and do.

The west coast for sights and sounds, the south for food and culture, the east coast for history, food and adventure, and the Great Lakes for urban centers and Canada. Don't miss Niagara Falls and Toronto. Toronto is only an 1 1/2 hours from Buffalo. The Falls is about 30 minutes tops.

San Bernardino is the armpit of Southern California.
Go to San Diego instead, and hop over the border to Tijuana Mexico for the day.

stone-relics Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Queenie, if you aren't a tour guide, you should
> be..
>
> JR

thanks - i give a great tour of the san francisco bay area. and can do rome now too. getting good with NYC. i have problems finding my way around chicago though (where i live now)...

here's bryce canyon:

i saw a really cool lightening storm over the canyon at night.

see the person in the virgin river below? that's actually a "hike" through the "narrows" at zion national park. there are walking sticks at the beginning and most people turn around early on - if you go further in, it gets deeper and eventually you have to carry your stuff on your head or swim.

The Sicilian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------


> Queenie, I used to drive to Tijuana Mexico for gas
> weekly back in the 80's. I've been there a few
> times since never got pulled over and never heard
> of such a thing.

i made a right turn on red when pedestrians were in the walkway - but they were really far away...
>
> Driving down thru the Canadian Rockies is a waste
> of time. Skip the whole northwest (visit northern
> California above San Francisco that will be
> plenty)

but the volcanos that line up from shasta to baker in washington are amazing - as is the oregon coast. seattle is a very nice city and the san juan islands just north are wonderful.

you must not have been to banff because that place is spectacular - no way a waste of time - i can't wait to go back and want also to go to jasper national park just north.

here's lake louise in banff:


and lake moraine in banff:




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-01-26 10:47 by little queenie.

When you are starting your trip ...pacific coast highway is so spectacular..gotta stop in Mendicino Ca, enjoy the views and little gingerbread homes...very cool people there too. The Coastal trip is slow but very exciting and so much to take in. The Napa region is north of San Fran and is also a great place...especially if you enjoy wine !!! If you have a chance..try to see Yosemite....and you must see the Grand Canyon...sounds like the trip of a lifetime !! You'll love it !!

When you get to New York...you must go to the Empire State Building...to the top!! Have to have pastrami at Katz's Deli { where Harry met Sally } it's on the lower eat side. You might want to take the ferry to Liberty/Ellis Island. And of course check out Central Park !!

little queenie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> you must not have been to banff because that place
> is spectacular - no way a waste of time - i can't
> wait to go back and want also to go to jasper
> national park just north.
>

It is a beautiful place, I've never been there, but that is the kind of place to go exclusively. That area is a vacation in itself. You can't see everything when there is so much to see. California, Vegas, and the Grand Canyon is 3 weeks alone of exploring.

Man, people write lots of books on this kind of stuff, so you've got a lot of options. Compared to most of Europe, things will be cheap for you, including gas/petrol, which you'll need a lot of for this trek. For a lot of Europeans, I think they misjudge how big this great land of ours is, so be ready for plenty of driving. Another thing, you might want to try and plan your route based on the seasons.

Funny when I read some of the tips - Detroit is considered a dump by a lot of people, and I would highly recommend Seattle, Portland, and down the west coast all the way to San Diego... to each his own.

little queenie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Sicilian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> as for the most beautiful city in
> the US - nothing can compare with san francisco.
>
>


I agree wholeheartedly LQ!


Man,reading this thread I realized there are so many places in the U.S. that I haven't been to yet. Better get busy.

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

.... bad idea to take route 66,, that arrid stretch of absolete americana was

basically picked apart and boarded up forty-five or so years ago, , a waste of

precious time .... ,,, another error would be to

venture to las vegas from san fran. and then to los angeles (unless one is flying lear).

.. from SF you drop down to LA, a fun an easy drive most of the way.. you will spend time in los angeles i would bet, then to san bernadeno to the 15 to las vegas, where your eyes will pop out if you have not been there for a while,,,

..... had to throw ya logistics, hate to see anyone derail right out of

the round house___________________

I agree with the above. San Fran to L.A, then to Las Vegas. go south from S.F. along the coast through Monteray and Carmel valey. This will take you through Big Sur. The most beautiful drive in america. a must see!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-01-26 08:10 by keithfan64.

also, i wouldn't take an RV either - you won't be able to park it in cities and you don't want to deal with trying to find a place to park it so you can then take public transportation. don't get an SUV, either - they waste too much gas.