SultanOfSwing

Either way involves beer, so that's OK ...

SalopianFunk

Not really. I study urbanism to an extent, and almost had a stroke just by looking at how Phoenix was organized from above. Then tie in that it's a giant desert, apparently a statewide tea-bagger haven, and has nothing of any interest to offer that you probably could get elsewhere. But mostly it was the shock of seeing how such a large tumorous city like Phoenix is allowed to exist
A big hole in the ground that I could see from Nevada anyway? Nah, there are more interesting things I could do with my time.

Primula

Keep in mind that DC will be boiling hot and very humid in the summer.

Only place I've been to in Canada was Montreal. Wonder whose brilliant idea it was to visit in February? Never been so cold in my entire life.

Thanks Jim.

I love how he's dumped NYC in with Alabama and Arkansas!

JG, are you telling me you've never been over the George Washington Bridge?!!!!

Puerto Rico is not a state.

Obvious?

Right on. Blow up Mount Rushmore too while you're at it.

SalopianFunk

Small doses of Life Vegas.

Jerseygirl

Well spotted! Been to NYC and NY state more times than I care to remember.

Yorkieabroad

[QUOTE=Primula;10060122]Keep in mind that DC will be boiling hot and very humid in the summer.



[B]JGQUOTE]

Yep, but I reckon we're ready for it having prepped with 10 years in Houston preceded by 8 years in Singapore...

Yorkieabroad

Can you wait till we've been please?

Primula

You had me worried there! Conversely, I recall only two visits to New Jersey. I do know that I have been to A.C., but have no clue where we went on the second trip to NJ. Love The Sopranos though!

Did not know it is hot in Singapore.

Yorkieabroad

Its only about 60 miles north of the equator - hot and humid all year round.

redglade

GASP. You can't possibly mean that - it's an incredible sight and one of the American "must sees".

kimilseung

Penn and Teller agree with you.

tonrob

Hugely over-rated IMHO compared to the (relatively-speaking) nearby Bryce, Zion, Arches and Canyonlands etc.

Maybe they could turn it into a big underground car park with a free shuttle to the other parks. That would solve the overcrowding problems.

SultanOfSwing

I've heard it looks much better from the air.

I'd still go to have a shufty, myself, but I would much rather see Monument Valley if I was going to have to make a choice.

tonrob

The problem with the Grand Canyon is that it's too effing big. You stand there and you look at it - hard to get a sense of scale. You know it's big but its bigness is also somehow lost. It also takes ages to 'interact' with it - you can do a full day hike to get to the bottom. Then you have to climb out again. The view change per hour/calorie invested is tiny compared to the wealth of vistas available in the other parks I mentioned. For the same effort as climbing in and out of the GC you can string together an itinerary of several part-day hikes around any of the other parks and really feel that you're immersing yourself rather than just looking at a slowly-changing picture of a big hole.

The best thing about the GC is that it keeps tourist numbers manageable at the other parks.

redglade

I haven't been to the other places you mentioned yet - although I would love to when the opportunity arises. We visited the GC National Park in 2008. Our children were too young to hike into the canyon but we did do a couple of hikes along the rim and took part in some of the ranger activities. We went in the spring and it wasn't too busy and the weather was cold at night but perfect during the day. We all had a great time and feel it was well worth the time and the drive (from Houston), and I stand by my sentiment that the Grand Canyon is one of the places in the US that truly is "awesome".