chrisann

Well I may only be in California for another 6 months or so and self and hubby are making the best of it. So I wondered if anyone can let me have suggestions of great places to visit in the USA before we have to return. Not Northern Cal as we have covered most of that area now.

Really after the places that you would not go to if you come over on holiday from the other side of the pond. So any gems that are hidden would be great, dont mind if we have to travel, but we do only have the weekends for a bit.

Know you guys have great ideas so over to you all and thanks!

joto

To narrow it down a bit, tell us where you have been already. Places you really wouldn't want to go and the types of places that interest you and OH. We are going to Yellowstone for the first time later this year. There should be flights from California to places near there if you are interested.

Bob

Hawaii....because it's bloody miles away from anywhere, especially the UK...

Maine in the autumn, so you should be able to squeeze that in and might as well do a road trip through the rest of NE and do the leaf peeping which is quite a lovely sight.

Jerseygirl

It's my favourite place in the world.

slidingbyee

From where you are I would try Utah - Interstate 70 up until Grand Junction some amazing scenery desrt formations etc

penguinsix

Absolutely. The flight from the UK is an absolute bear with transfers and massive time lag, so it's really not a place you are likely to visit again anytime soon. Land on Oahu (which is really like any other major US city) and then pop around to some of the other islands, such as Kauai (the Garden Island), Maui (also somewhat built up) and then over to the 'Big Island' to see the volcanos in action (it will be like you landed on the moon--I mean something you really will never likely see again in your lifetime).

Other than that, assuming you'll be back again to some places one day (like Vegas) you could take a look at some Great Plains states like Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, etc. Why? Because you'll never be there again probably. Also consider a 'run for the border' down to Mexico to see the chaos before that country falls apart and the US invades again.

Alaska? Have you done a cruise up there? Kind of fun.

chrisann

thanks for this - would make more sense if I told where we had been!! so here goes -- Yeosmite, San Fransisco, Montery, Carmel, Pacific Coast Highway, Vegas, Tahoe.

Hawaii seems like a good one - I never thought about that and having just looked see what you mean about the flights! Easy from here. The border run seems like a good idea as well, would be fun as well!!

Heard that Utah is a good one to go to, any tips for when - better this end of the year or maybe closer to December? Think we have till February then we are home again.

limeynus

Grand Canyon and Sedona is one I've done recently and loved, you can do a loop out on the 40 back on the 10.

Sequoias too, have done them several times. Bryce and Zion in Utah are worth a visit if you have a chance.

I've never been to Hawaii .. but would definitely consider it if I was heading back to the UK.

San Diego might be worth a look see!!

Jerseygirl

When I lived in the UK I went to Hawaii three times. Never been there in the 13 yrs I've lived here. It's probably cheaper to get a package holiday from the UK.

Washington DC is a must IMO. You can spends days there wandering around the museums...not to mention the White House, Capital Buildings, Memorials, Arlington Cemetery etc. Next to the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbour...JFK's grave is a must...very, very touching.

Bob

But a honeymoon holiday deal for a big discount, even if you aren't on a honeymoon...

Jerseygirl

Everyday is a honeymoon for my husband Bob.

Cape Blue

If you want a road trip straight from your doorstep you could head up through Nor Cal along the coast route - Mendocino, Eureka then into OR with Bandon, Coos Bay, Dunes, Eugene, Portland, into WA, Mt St Helens, Seattle, into Canada, ferry to Vancouver Island, ferry back to Vancouver, then back down - nice 2 week jaunt, doable in 10 days.

I wasn't sure if your PCH experience was Big Sur or north of SF.

Bob

oh err missus

Kaffy Mintcake

Are you the "delightful" Brit my father helped recently at the Sedona visitor's center?

nettlebed

I would agree, but instead of ferry back to Vancouver from Vancouver Island (presumably Nanaimo), I would drive to Victoria, BC, and catch the Black Ball Ferry (MV Coho) to Port Angeles, WA, and take the opportunity to drive down the west side of the Olympic Peninsula (Hwy 101).

There are some phenomenal beaches there (imaginatively name First Beach, Second Beach, etc), plus you could visit either the Hoh or Quinault rainforests.

Heading inland through Aberdeen and Rochester, you'd pick up I-5 again just north of Centralia.

You'd also go through Forks, which might be fun if you're interested in Stephanie Meyers' "Twilight" series.

Many people assume that Seattle in on the Pacific Ocean, whereas in fact it's about 100 miles away, with an 8000' mountain range and two rainforests in between!